Was a Heroine, Is a Damsel
by IsaacGSO
Summary: It's been 5 years since the Teen Titans have disbanded and formed their own lives. But one XMas season conjures new enemies, pesky fiances, and loosened beasts. (BBRae RobStar CyBee)
1. The Backstabbing Brit

Ooh, man, really nervous…. Okay, first story _ever_ for me on this place, so pleeeeease be nice. I'll be your friend and everything, which is good, since one day I'll rule the world…

My little sis is a big fan, so I promised her a holiday story. She reads everything I write and really likes it. So yay.

It's five years after the group has disbanded, and they all live on the West Coast. I read all y'all's stories to help me with names and such. A whole bunch of you have got some real talent, so my hat's off to you.

Also, I've always loved the name 'James'. Sadly, it is the name of my antagonist. It's quite a shame, because now that I've made him a jerk, I don't like his name anymore. Now if I ever have a son, it'll have to be something ridiculous and foreign, like Mumbo.

P.S: British people, don't hate me. I love your accent. Be my friend?

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own insanity

Anyhoo, here goes:

* * *

Chapter 1: The Backstabbing Brit

Mr. James Ethridge was a prominent, British doctor in Oregon. Over the years in the practice he had saved many countless lives. His co-workers and nurses appreciated his optimism and skill. Women wanted him and men wanted to be him. With his wavy, blonde locks, dazzling smile, and sensuous voice, all knew he was the perfect catch. The woman who would snag his heart would be the luckiest woman in all of Oregon.

Only _she_ thought differently.

Her name was Vesper Crow. No one really knew much about her. She had moved to town a few years ago, settled into the psychiatric ward, and was hired as a therapist. Well, technically she was a psychiatrist, but the word sounded too harsh for her. She preferred 'therapist'. It was more inviting.

The odd, silent woman had caught James' attention immediately. She was the first who had never fawned over his brilliant intellect and charming visage (A/N: cocky, no?) and didn't even seem fazed when she saw him. It intrigued him. _She _intrigued him.

I mean, she was no average-looking girl. Her hair, which reached down past her shoulder blades, and her eyes were both deep shades of purple. Her skin was pallid and a chakra rested on her forehead. People assumed it was a glue-on.

It didn't matter to James. He pressed constantly for Vesper's fancy. Although she didn't let it show, he knew he was breaking her slowly. She was a hard one to crack, though. Her reserved, silently mocking personality tended to backfire whatever plans he concocted in order woo her. After a long while of courting her he learned that it was the fact that she was a challenge to tame that kept their relationship entertaining.

In the end, after much pushing, Vesper agreed to a date. He followed every date procedure by the book, and at the end of the day, James knew he had won her over. Finally he worked up the nerve to propose marriage. Vesper was hesitant at first, but accepted. Everyone was proud of their good, little, golden boy.

But boredom struck a chord within him, and Vesper soon was unable to satisfy his needs. Almost immediately following his proposal he began to stray. In his office one afternoon, in between surgeries, he received a shocking phone call. Putting down the phone, he sighed, preparing for another insipid operation. At the end of the day he drove to his home where Vesper would be waiting. What he had to tell her at dinner was certainly not the best of news.

Vesper looked heartbroken. "But I thought we had something!"

James shifted in his seat. "Well, we did – I mean, we do – it's just that I've been thinking about it and –"

"You're canceling the wedding." She stated flatly.

There. It was out in the open. She couldn't contain her fury and grief long enough for him to say it instead.

"Yes, Vesper," he looked at his hands. "I'm backing out."

"But why? I need a reason!" Vesper felt tears clouding her view and gathering on her lower eyelid. "You can't just leave me! I thought you loved me."

"I _do_ love you," He reached across the table to take her hand. "But I… love someone else."

She pulled back. "What?"

James sighed impatiently. "I've met another woman, Vesper."

"But, James, I…" now she could barely see at all. "I don't want to see you." She stood abruptly. "I don't want to see you, you bastard."

He quickly reached out and snared her hand again as she passed him. "Honestly, darling, I'm so sorry. If she wasn't bearing my child I would still marry you!"

She froze. Her hand went dead still in his. "You're fathering another woman's child?" She couldn't take it. If she didn't get out of the house soon, she'd collapse.

"Vesper, I –"

"Let go of my hand, James," she said grimly, but her voice was tinted with pent-up danger. She had to get out before she lost control.

"Hey, I _said _I was sorry!"

She jerked back, pulling herself from his strong grip. "I don't want your apologies, you _monster_!"

James, in unexpected rage, flew from his chair and stood towering before her, as she was so tiny. He glared at her threateningly. "You don't call _me_ a monster, you half-demon witch!"

In shock, Vesper backed all the way up to the kitchen counter. "How – how do you know?" She didn't like where this was going at all.

"What; know that you've been lying to me all this time? That you're really Raven?" He came closer to her. "You've lied to me. But I accepted it. Now I let your heart get a little bruised because it's my turn to lie. What's the difference?"

Her hands gripped the counter. This strange turn of events was getting out of hand. She felt the items in the room escaping her mental grip. She knew they had the potential to break within seconds. "The _difference_ is that you cheated on me. I kept my secret to _protect_ you."

"Oh, pish-posh, Vesper –" James took another menacing step. Vesper reached for a cutting knife and pointed it threateningly at him.

"Another step," she hissed, "and I'll make you a eunuch."

He paused. "Kelly's coming over as we speak. I suggest you leave."

Another burst of fury burst through her body. Several dishes shattered loudly all around the kitchen. Porcelain scattered on the floor and counters. She sneered as he gawked at the new mess. "Consider that my parting gift to you. Goodbye, James."

And she left him to his lonely house.

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That's the first chapter. It gets better. Promise. I don't ask for flames; they burn me. But I do appreciate constructive criticism. I'm a grammatical perfectionist. If I find any misspellings or incorrect punctuation in my work, I go loco. So don't criticize my grammar. I'll do that myself. 


	2. Recollections and an Unexpected Visitor

Oh my Goodness! I'm so happy I received such positive reviews! I was sure the first chapter wouldn't do so hot because it was kind of a slow start, but I was wrong. You sure know how to make someone happy!

Am I allowed to thank some people before I tell my story? I'm guessing that's the stuff all the authors and authoresses do. I'm guessing… It took me forever to figure out why authors kept listing so many different names like that. I thought they had multiple personalities or something. Ok, so:

Grey Rain – Thank you sooooooo much for being my first reviewer! I'm reading Fluff! And it's very sweet and funny. Heh, Aquafag… I am so lame… Anyway, my pairings are simple: Rae/BB, Rob/Star and Cy/Bee. I love Cyborg. He's the coolest and I don't want him to be alone. Does that work?

DarkElf6 – Elfie! My buddy, my homey, my second-in-command of the posse, stubborn Taurus Elfie! What can I say? Well, obviously, thanks, my sista. Also, I feel like irritating someone. Can I bother John, please? You don't like the dude and I _do_ know what makes the boy tick… Ooh, I'm a meanie butt.

darkaurora333 – Thank you for offering to help me if I have any problems. I really appreciate it.

Sillymail – Unfortunately, this fic shall not be Rob/Rae. I was inclined to use that couple the first time I thought of writing this, but I have found myself to be a big fan of the ever-romantic 'opposites attract', especially since I've so recently fallen under that category. I never considered Kelly to be a main character, but heck; even I don't where this story leads.

I don't know if I should personally thank everyone whenever they respond because that takes up time. I'd be glad to answer questions if anyone would like me to. I'm so happy! (tears) Oh, and my writing might be sloppy. I had an –uh- accident involving a fragile, glass fishbowl and now my left hand has quite a few stitches. Spending all night at a hospital is _not _cool. I never want stitches again (shudders).

Disclaimer: I don't _possess_ the Teen Titans or Carolyn Dawn Johnson's 'You Are' (WOOT! A synonym! I am _so _going to be an English teacher…)

Ch. 2: Recollections and An Unexpected Visit

Kori Grayson looked down warmly at her adorable son Roland. Only five months old, the baby already had a whole head of flaming red hair. Just like her, she thought proudly.

_The sunlight on my shoulders_

_The smile on my face_

_My secret weapon_

_My favorite place_

She smiled, running her fingers over his pudgy little cheeks and he giggled delightedly as she planted a soft kiss on his forehead. He looked almost like a miniature version of her, but with one definite difference. Roland was blessed with his father's magnificent eyes. The blue orbs of her son stared intently and sagaciously at her, although his face held all the glee and contentment of an innocent. It was amazing how his face displayed such contradictions. He seemed naïve yet completely coherent at the same time.

Kori leaned back into the maroon couch, pulling Roland closer to her. Sighing softly, she couldn't take her vivid, green eyes off of his sapphire ones. They reminded her so much of Rick.

_The reason my heart_

_Skips a beat_

_The broom that sweeps me_

_Off my feet_

Five years ago, she recalled so clearly, she had reached up to Rick's face, brushing her fingers along his temple. "Tell me, Rick," she had said, using his true name, "why, if we have moved on, have you not discarded your mask?"

She could feel his breath quicken slightly as it blew on her face. "It's hard…to let go, I guess."

"But a phase of our lives is over now," she persisted tenderly. "If we are to wed, why can you not let go? I wish to gaze upon the eyes of my beloved."

His mouth twitched, but not from irritation. "I suppose you're right. It's just going to be strange having you see me."

"But, Rick," she murmured. "I have always seen you. But I have never seen inside of you. I believe that is what you are afraid to show me. As I have learned, eyes are the windows into ones soul." She paused. "I wish to see your soul, Rick."

_A gentle inspiration_

_My weary soul's salvation_

_The half that makes me whole_

"Kori, I –" he started, a worried look creeping across his face. But that moment passed quickly. He cleared his throat, starting again. "You and I are getting married. We're finally getting to start normal lives. My God, Kori, we're leaving all we've known for the past seven years here on this isle!" He cried out, more in self-realization than anything else. "And I… I was selfish to hide myself from you for so long." His hand traveled up to her own. "I love you." And he conceded, leaning his face into her palm as she slipped the mask from his face.

_The gravity that grounds me_

_The arms I want around me_

_Never letting go_

"I love you, too," she whispered, then gasped. Even in the dim light of her bedroom she could see a million diamond sparkles gleaming exotically, intoxicating her, pulling her ever closer. Past the fascinating glint of the magnificent blues she could see the worry. She could see everything; his fears, his attentiveness, even the glow of love. "Oh, Rick!" she grinned, falling in love with him all over again. "I have never beheld such a beautiful sight! Indeed, I do not think I could even dream in such a color as that."

"Really?" Rick blushed, immensely relieved. "I'm glad, Kori. I'm glad it was you who truly saw me for who I really was."

"Me too, Rick." Kori kissed him lightly on the lips. "I will be grateful forevermore."

_I've lived – _

_I've lived enough_

_To know what is_

_And what's not_

_You are _

_You are_

And they continued sharing the passions within their hearts from that moment on. Rick became the husband of which she had dreamed when she was a princess far, far away. At first he did not express himself so much in public as she would have liked, but he grew into the whole role when they moved to the last place anyone would expect – Samson, Oregon. (A/N: I don't know if that's a real place. I just made it up. I live on the east coast.)

Starting the jobs they had always had enthusiasm for, Kori worked in a flower shop and Rick started up a gym. Even with the planned inheritance left to him by his rich foster father, Rick valued the simple, everyday life he had seen but never experienced.

_All the love _

_I wanna make_

_Every breath _

_I wanna take_

They stayed in contact with their best friends throughout the years of separation. Vesper only lived a few hours away and Vic and Gar, the other two, lived somewhere in California. Sadly, they only met rarely, such as Rick and Kori's wedding and the other wedding of Victor and Beatrice (Bee). And then for the most important even of all: the birth of Roland. Everyone except Gar, who was having some financial problems at the time, made it for her delivery.

Roland was Rick's pride and joy. He loved his son with every ounce of his being. To his and Kori's surprise, upon seeing the baby he was the first to cry, though he denied it later. Kori smiled dreamily. It was all a fairytale come true for her.

_The rush that's running_

_Down my spine_

_The touch that takes me_

_Every time_

Looking up at sudden movement, Kori watched Rick enter the living room, carrying a tray with hot chocolates on it.

He grinned down at the lovely sight of his family. "Two days until Christmas." He brushed a wayward strand of hair from his wife's face. "I know it's really, really short notice, but how bout we invite the team up here for the holiday week?" Rick always said 'team' when he referred to the group. It was a habit he wasn't likely to drop.

She frowned slightly. "A splendid idea, Rick, but the others may already be metaphorically beaten by reading materials."

Rick didn't skip a beat. "I don't know that they'd be _booked_ for the holidays, Kor. Something tells me this is the perfect chance for everyone to get together."

Kori shuddered with delight at the thought of reunion.

_An innocent seduction_

_I can't get enough and_

_I can't help but let it show_

"Your intuition is generally correct, Rick." She kissed his cheek as he sat next to her, taking Roland in his arms. "Call them if you wish. We may all partake in the singing of many carols together!" She motioned to the piano in the corner. After settling down in Samson, she found the instrument a successful way of helping her to relax.

Rick kissed her lips, carefully minding the baby's head.

_I lose all my composure_

_I'm totally exposed and_

_The reason I let go is_

"Thanks, Kor," he murmured against her hair.

"Whatever for, Rick?"

"For being everything I could have ever dreamed of. I know it sounds overly sentimental, but I wouldn't trade what we have for the world."

_I've lived – _

_I've lived enough_

_To know what is_

_And what's not_

_You are_

_You are_

She cuddled closer to him, leaning her head onto his shoulder. Roland was nearly asleep. Looking up slightly, she queried, "What of James?"

Rick thought for a moment. "I know you don't like him that much, but he _is _Vesper's fiancé. Will you be able to stand him for Christmas?"

She let out a long breath. "I suppose, for Vesper's sake. Though I still think he is a _gorgaftrax_."

Rick knew exactly what she meant. If she had called someone that back home, she would probably have been punished for using such a brash name. He chuckled. "I know."

_My every hope_

_My every dream_

_You are my everything_

Just then the doorbell rang once, twice, three times in rapid succession. Kori jumped up immediately, being that she was the one without the child in her arms. Luckily Roland seemed unperturbed by the interruption and slept soundly in his father's arms.

"I'll get it," Kori said down to her husband.

Not even waiting for a reply, she exited the living room and turned right. The front door was decorated top to bottom in a wide assortment of Christmas cards from friends across Samson. In the center was a fake, gold-colored wreath. It blended well with the warm, maroon paint on the walls. The doorbell rang once more as she stood up to it and she cocked her head in interest. Who would be so persistent so late in the evening? She opened the door to learn.

To her surprise Vesper stood there before her. Tears were streaming down the young woman's cheeks and a medium sized suitcase stood upright next to her. Her violet hair was pulled back into a stiff braid and she was holding her coat (black, of course) to her. Upon seeing her tall friend, she rushed forward, embracing her.

"Starfire!" she cried, using her friend's real name. Kori was astonished, to say the least, at Vesper's uncharacteristic action. But she quickly wrapped her friend in a hug.

"Raven –er– Vesper, my friend! What's wrong?"

Rick appeared beside his wife, his eyes wide. "Vesper?"

The tiny woman gave a muffled sniff from Kori's shoulder. "James…cheated on me." She said despairingly.

Kori's usually cheery disposition dissipated. "He _what_!"

Rick was speechless. As Vesper explained, he went outside, shifting Roland into one arm and picking up her suitcase with his free hand.

Vesper raised her head. Although her eyes revealed utter forlornness, her face was stoic. "He…_sniff_…called off the wedding. He has another…_sniff_…woman."

The redhead kicked the door closed with a fury. Rick was fortunate to avoid her wrath. "What a horrible man!"

Vesper frantically wiped her eyes. "And that's not all. That other woman is – is pregnant." She spat out the last word.

Rick hissed multiple profane words while Kori took the young woman's hands. As she did so, all of the cards on the front door became shrouded in dark matter, then all burst into flame.

"Kori!" Vesper gasped, retreating. With the wave of a shaky hand, the black flame vanished. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to slip."

Kori hesitantly draped an arm over her shoulder. "Come, Vesper. I shall take you to the room of the guest where we can talk about it. You may stay for Christmas, if you wish. We are planning a team reunion."

The visitor nodded numbly, eyes brightening as she heard about the reunion. "I would like that." Her suitcase became limned in the same black magic that had ignited the Christmas cards. She began her ascension, Kori following.

But the redhead stopped halfway up the steps as Vesper kept walking. When she was out of earshot, she looked back at her loving husband, who had said very little.

_I've lived – _

_I've lived enough_

_To know what is_

_And what's not_

_You are_

_You are_

_You are_

"I suppose that is one less guest to call." She said, only half-joking.

Rick nodded soundly. "We're better off without him. Still," he sighed, "I wish we knew how to help her out completely."

At the thought, Kori's eyes brightened with their usual fervor. "We may not be able to help her through this ordeal, but I know one who can."

Rick stared at her a moment longer, wondering what her beautiful mind was scheming, but let it rest. Whatever it was, it would be for the best. Her intentions were always true. He never doubted that.

_The sunlight on my shoulders_

_The smile on my face_

_My secret weapon_

_My favorite place_

Okay, yay! Longer chapter than I had originally planned, so that's good. I never know how long my chapters will be, so expect many different lengths.

I know Raven may have seemed a bit OOC, but then I realized that they are all adults and that we weren't there to watch them mature, so they behave the way they are because of what's happened. They've matured, which can be a real mess at times. I think we should kind of expect them to act this way. Does that make sense? Raven is a bit more emotional, and you'll find out why. I wanted her to retain at least a little of her emotional difficulties but not totally overwhelm her.

I like how I made Starfire and how she will progress. She's kind of like a Guardian Angel.

Please Read and Review and Criticize and Ask and Cheer and anything else you want!


	3. Kori's Holiday Plan

Wow, I'm psyched. And I can write again because my fingers have almost completely healed!

Y'all are the coolest! I'm glad you're so accepting of my story. To be perfectly honest, I'm kind of a TT novice - not at writing, but at the show and everything. That's why I made a future fic, because I thought it would be easier for me. I'm amazed by how much everyone knows and how little I do know. Y'all put me to shame…

Okay, thank yous and comments are in order, since I'm really grateful…

MOOgoestheCHICKEN – Let me get this straight – you got your foot run over by a Durango? _OW_. That's gotta suck. Oh, and: coughcoughYUPcoughcough And, don't worry, he isn't green.

Rune – Dark is a possibility. Maybe not intentionally his fault, but definitely a possibility…

Free-Desert-Wind – Thank you for your critiquing. You made a lot of good points that I'll definitely keep in mind.

DarkElf6 – Hey, sis, wassup? I won't list all of your pet names; it'd take up three-quarters of the chapter, but luv ya much!

Just want to make this clear to everyone: Because I don't know so much about the characters' personal lives, flashbacks and past events will be the way they are to fit the present story situations. It may not be the truth, but it works for me.

Disclaimer: We all know the drill…

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Chapter 3: Kori's Holiday Plan

Christmas morning was hectic. All of the adults were up at six-thirty that morning, sitting around the kitchen table, drinking their coffee and herbal tea. They spoke for half an hour, chatting and laughing and enjoying the special holiday. Finally Roland began screaming upstairs, clearly awake and wanting something to eat.

After the mugs were cleared away, everyone took turns in the showers. Kori finished first, wearing a lovely outfit. She wore a lavender sweater and a long, white, flowing skirt. Despite the chilled outdoor weather, she sported comfy sandals and had her hair kept up in a nice ponytail.

Rick followed, wearing nice dress pants in black and suede shoes. His button up shirt was a war maroon. Not trying to appear too professional, he spiked his hair in a rather teenage fashion.

Vesper stayed to her more usual attire. Expecting to stay with the couple for Christmas, she had packed her suitcase with at most half a week's worth of clothing. To go home after the heartache would be hard on a person, even someone such as herself. She wore knee-high leather boots with pointy heels. A small black skirt clung tightly to her legs, as well as some black tights. She wore a red sweater that was V-cut and three-quarter sleeved. Her hair, which was a little past shoulder length, was in a messy bun.

The three prepared an eggs, bacon, and toast breakfast, regrouping in the kitchen. Afterwards, Kori remained there, preparing the turkey and side dishes. Rick spent his morning on the phone with his foster father, Bruce Wayne (A/N: Yeah, Batman! The dude rocks.) Rick was planned to inherit Wayne's massive fortune, but the young man was glad that he lived in a normal suburban house with his wife and son. He honestly believed he didn't need anything else. Vesper had departed to the guest room where she wrapped the rest of her last minute gifts, since it turned out everyone could make it. After setting the presents under the tree, she joined Kori in the kitchen.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Kori," she said after peeling up another potato. "It means so much to have a friend like you."

Kori beamed. "You are most welcome, Vesper!" She was glad that the two of them were able to connect over the years. In the beginning, they were not the closest of friends, and it had been hard to talk. Now Vesper came to Kori for most of her problems, and it made the redhead proud to know that she could be such a positive effect on the most negative person she knew.

Just then the doorbell rang.

"One o'clock!" Kori jumped. "My, how time flies!"

Vesper smiled softly as her friend dropped what she was holding.

Rick had gotten off the phone an hour earlier, so he reached for the door uninhibited. As he opened it, a booming, "HEL-LO!" greeted him. The two young women grinned as they saw who stood at the door.

Victor Stone entered the hall. The six-foot, four-inch African American man completely drew all attention to himself – but not on purpose, of course. In cardigan and tan dress pants, he swooped in, hugging Rick tightly.

"It's good to see ya, man!" he roared effervescently.

Rick recovered from his shock and patted his buddy warmly on the back. "It's great to see you too, Vic! Come in!" He said, even though Vic was already inside.

Kori bolted from the kitchen, passing Vesper, running straight into her giant friend.

"Kori!"

"Victor!"

They hugged tightly, each seeming to squash the life out of the other. Her voice was ebullient. "Oh, Victor, I have missed you!" She looked around. "Where is Beatrice?"

"Right here, girl!"

A tall African American woman appeared from behind Victor. She wore a large maternity dress. Kori gasped excitedly. "Do you know if the baby is a he or a she?"

Bee couldn't help but send her husband a blushing gaze. "How 'bout a he _and_ a she?"

Rick and Kori gasped in unison, then rushed into a myriad of congratulations. Victor and Bee looked damn proud.

"It's nice to see you two," Vesper said calmly, coming to stand next to Rick.

"Vesper?" Victor shouted, wrapping her in a Kori-worthy hug. "You look great! It's been a while!"

Vesper replied with a rather winded voice, "Same here, Victor." She squeezed Bee. "I'm very happy for the both of you."

"Thanks, Vesper. That means a lot to me." Bee replied.

Vesper noted the ring on Victor's finger; not his wedding ring, but another special one. This band, she knew, changed his appearance. Without it, he would look quite different. The same also applied to Beatrice, who wore a certain pair of earrings with the same design on them.

The three young women shortly returned to the kitchen, talking about due-dates and child names. Rick led Vic into the living room where the large man put his presents under the tree. They sat together on the couch, listening to Frank Sinatra singing Christmas carols.

"It's great that we all got together for once," Vic said evenly. "Still, it feels so weird…"

Rick looked at him curiously. "What feels weird?"

"It's just…you and Kori together. With a son. She works in a flower shop and you run a fitness center. (A/N: Don't scoff; I couldn't think of anything for Richard.) It's so…" Vic shook his head, "_different_ from what it used to be."

Rick patted Victor's back lightly. "Look who's talking, Vic. You may still wear that ring and Bee may still wear those earrings, but you two are also able to live normal lives. Besides," he grinned mischievously, "not all's changed. I still have a gamestation. Wanna play?"

Vic jumped up in a fury and pointed a finger down at him. "You're on!"

They immediately brought out the equipment, attached it to the TV, and began battling fiercely and ardently. Kori went into the living room to give Vic a cup of coffee and reentered the kitchen, looking confused.

"What's up, suga?" Bee asked her as she joined them.

Kori cocked her head. "I am merely wondering as to why Victor called Rick an illegitimate child and why Rick called Victor the son of a female dog."

Bee frowned, baffled at Kori's ponderings, but Vesper sighed dejectedly. "You must live one _very_ sheltered life if you don't know this by now. 'Bastard' and 'bitch' are insults and curses."

"They are insulting each other? Why?"

Vesper shrugged as Bee chuckled. "If it's all in good fun, and they know they aren't really serious, then it's okay."

"Oh, thank you, Vesper!" Kori stood up, smiling brightly, and crossed back into the living room. Bee laughed hysterically and Vesper grinned as they heard the redhead scream, "Silence, you bitches and bastards! I cannot concentrate when you are so loud!"

Of course, this made Roland scream, and Kori ended up taking him into the kitchen with her, coddling him. When she sat down, she gave Vesper an inquisitive look. "Are you sure your explanation was correct? When I told them to be silent, they gave me the strangest stares."

Vesper didn't' have time to answer, because the doorbell rang for the second time that day. Kori looked at Vesper expectedly.

"What?" she frowned.

"My hands are full, Beatrice is fairly round, and the men are hypnotized by the gamestation. Could you please get the door?" Kori blinked, feigning innocence.

Vesper grumbled and went to the door. Who she saw standing there almost made her faint.

Garfield Logan.

He stood there casually, one hand in his pocket and his other hand – with a ring that looked exactly like Victor's – holding on to a couple of presents. He had gotten a little taller since she had seen him last, and was a half-a-head above her. His mussed, brown hair fell over his eyes, but she could still see their emerald sheen. Gar's outfit was a bit more on the casual side, with black pants and sneakers and a nice button-up shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to reveal firm, tightly muscled arms. Someone obviously worked out.

When he saw Vesper, he gasped. "Vesper?"

She smiled, and even went as far as chuckled, at his astounded face. "Were you expecting Rick? Because he's stuck at another gamestation."

Gar just laughed, put down the presents, and hugged her closely. His form was hard and strong. Because of their height difference she could rest her face in the junction of his neck and shoulder and inhale his masculine scent. God, how she had missed him…

They pulled apart a few seconds later. "You look…_great_!" he commented, giving her a once-over.

"So do you," she said warmly, momentarily letting herself remember what it felt like to be pressed up against his muscular body. He no longer appeared to be the Prankster Prince of their younger years, but was much more, well, _manly_. As the thoughts pierced her mind, she did all she could to fight them down. Fighting down her emotions, even though she didn't have to worry about them so much now, was a straining job, especially when he was around.

Gar noticed the tense expression on her face. "Hey, Vesper, breathe. Don't get all stressed. It's okay now, you can be more open since…" he trailed off.

Kori was tired of watching the two from the shadows. They both made their impressions, which were fortunately very good. If all worked out well, Vesper would forget all about James and Gar would win her heart. She grinned, walking up to the pair.

"Gar!" she squealed, rushing to him in the same manner as her greeting with Victor. Vesper moved aside, letting Kori crush him in her embrace. His breathless face made her grin.

When Kori let go, she jumped jovially. "Let me go fetch Roland!" Roland had been handed over to Bee moments prior.

Gar had never seen Roland. He was the only one who had been unable to make it to Kori's delivery. Kori returned with Roland and Bee. He took the baby from her hands, grinning widely. "He's absolutely beautiful, Kor." He called her her one-syllable nickname. He handed him back to his mother.

Vesper thought momentarily about children. But _only_ for a moment. If she stayed focused on family too long, her mind might wander.

Bee came up to Gar and gave him her own hug. "Merry Christmas, Gar."

"Same to you, Bee," he nodded to her stomach. "Twins?"

She rubbed the growing mound. "A boy and a girl. Due in four months."

He held up his hand in scout's honor. "I swear I will attend."

"I'll look forward to that, hun."

That was when Vesper faded into the background, exiting the hall and returning to the kitchen. When she picked up her mug of tea she heard several male voices erupting cheerfully.

"Dude!"

"Logan!"

"Hey, man!"

The 'team' had been reassembled. But Vesper wasn't feeling completely content. She would have thought it would feet like old times, but something in her head – or it could have been her heart – told her that this was a whole new adventure entirely.

* * *

End, CH. 3!

Okay, have questions:

I'm honestly thinking about changing 'Rick' to 'Richard'. Tell me which name you guys like more, and I'll make adjustments if you want. And as for 'Vesper', do you like her name as is, or would you like Gar to use a nickname? If you like the idea of a nickname, I'm open for suggestions. It can be derived from her name or a pet name, if you like. I have no idea for a nickname. Thanks!

Oh, and, Elfie: I love that you hate lovely things, for now you love unlovely things and that is very lovely. It would be unlovely if you loved lovely things, for they are not lovely, only unlovely is not lovely. Do you understand, my lovely?


	4. The Calm Before the Storm

First things first:

_vesper_

1: a planet (usually Venus) seen at sunset in the western sky syn: evening star, Hesperus, Vesper

2: Archaic. Evening

3: Middle English, evening star, from Latin, evening. See wes-pero- in Indo-European Roots.

That's why I picked 'Vesper'; it wasn't a random name. It all relates to dark beauty. And thanks for the help with nicknames! Maybe I'll stick with 'V' as her nickname and see if y'all like it. If not, say so, I'll listen. Or maybe not. I don't know! Aargh!

Okay, uh, yay! To people's comments:

DarkWindingRose – Despite the definition, you're right, it _does_ sound like a car. Kali is a pretty name, too, but may not best suit her here.

Starrob – Thanks for the advice! I'm going to make a correction in Robin's job this chapter, but I won't change Starfire's, cuz since she's a mother with a baby it's easier that she works closer to home.

DarkElf6 – Yes, we all must love the darkness and the unlovely! I love it all. Beware, SC will get you and she's been sharpening her claws. Don't take the trench coat with my eye in it! I'll let you keep the clothes, but how am I supposed to see what others can't when you're running around with a dead Jamaican man's organ?

Star-Elie – WELL, I DON'T WANNA DIE, SO –

On with the next one!

* * *

Ch. 4: The Calm Before the Storm

After the arrival of the last 'team member' things both settled down and got more hectic. Gar joined Vic and Rick (which rhymes, har har) in playing their totally awesome gamestation games and winning the most because he had a station back at his apartment in California. Kori, Bee, and Vesper hung out in the kitchen, moving back and forth from the table to the counters, talking happily the entire time. Soon Vesper and Gar switched places as she went into the living room to read and he left to catch up with the other women. When Roland began to cry in the corner Kori rushed to take care of him, but Bee interceded.

"He needs a diaper change," she picked him up. "Let me do it, hun. I need all the practice I can get."

"Hurry back!" Kori nodded, throwing her apron onto a hook. "We will be opening presents before dinner!"

As Bee left the room, Gar sat down in her vacant chair, staring at Kori. 'Wow,' he thought, 'so many changes, so many years.' Although he was in his mid-twenties he felt like he had lived a lifetime already.

"So, Gar," Kori broke the momentary silence, putting her elbows on the counter. "Is there a woman in your life?"

Gar shrugged, more or less anticipating the question. "There have been several, but never anyone special."

"Not in California, perhaps." She mused. "Maybe here?"

"Don't know, Kor," he sighed. "Just…not yet."

She smiled mischievously, seeing Vesper approaching from the corner of her eye. "Yes, of course, not yet. But the holidays can sometimes bring the most unlikely pairs together, if you allow it to happen."

He opened his mouth to ask her what the hell she was talking about, but she slid back from the counter, moving absentmindedly into the living room. Vesper entered the kitchen, taking her spot. She lay her book down. When she saw Gar's confused expression, she commented, "She does that quite often. Ever since the baby she's not as focused."

He frowned. "Is that bad?"

She shook her head, reaching for her wine glass. "No, of course not. She's just so preoccupied with Roland that she tends to sometimes lose her train of thought. It happens to new mothers. She'll reorganize in time." She took a sip of her wine. "I can pick up where she dropped off, if it'd make you feel better."

"Uh…sure." He gave an uneasy, lopsided grin. "So…how's your love life?"

Vesper swallowed her wine quickly, letting it scald her tongue. "There is no love life. I don't have the time." She wasn't going to tell him about James. The wound was still too fresh and she didn't appreciate sympathy. "I mean, sure, there have been men, but not so many and not right now."

Gar looked surprised. "Really? Don't you meet guys at the office or some hot spot?"

She chuckled dryly. "I'm a psychiatrist at a hospital. The only men I interact with have major issues."

"Well…that's not entirely bad."

"They have odd phobias."

"Not so bad, either. It's overlookable."

"And crazy, violent men, too," she couldn't stop her tongue. For some reason she wanted him to understand that it wasn't that easy. "Ones that'll have seizures and fits of rage that injure themselves, which is why they're in the hospital in the first place."

Now he didn't find this to be such a light matter anymore. "Wait, violent people? And as a psychologist you gotta deal with this?" Thinking of men yelling at her, threatening her, even _hurting_ her made his insides burn with fury.

"First: I'm a psychiatrist. Not that there's so much of a difference between the titles if you ask me…" she rolled her eyes. "And second: I handle them the way a doctor ought to. It happens."

"Yeah, but Vesper – " he pressed.

"It happens." She repeated, this time in a much harder voice. She didn't want him to know that James had been there to help her when she was in need. "I prescribed him some medicine and that was it."

The young man looked terribly confused. "Dude, that's not the Raven I know."

She sighed. "That's not my name, Gar, and you know it." Vesper put her face in her hands. "I help people in a different way, now."

Gar saw the mental and emotional exhaustion in her eyes. She wanted the conversation to end. But when she dipped her head low, covering her face, it became outwardly apparent that the emotional strain was far greater than her eyes revealed (A/N: Thank you, AP Psychology teachers). He came around the counters and wrapped her in a hug. "You're a good person, Vesper. If anyone tries to hurt you, I'll make them pay. You just tell me."

Vesper nestled closer to him in a hug that was a fair bit more intimate than their previous one. Still, she couldn't believe what he had just said. It was rare that Gar ever spoke so seriously…or so _dangerously_. She was halfway torn between finding it sexy and scary. Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought. Maybe things _had_ changed. For better? For worse? She didn't know.

All she did know was she liked it here. With him. "Thank you…"

"Presents, y'all!" Vic hollered from the living room. "Yo, Vesper, Gar, get in here!"

The two pulled apart rapidly at the sound of their friend's voice, a slight blush creeping up on both of their faces. Gar bravely took her hand and led her into the living room where everyone was waiting. Once they were seated, everyone opened their presents one-by-one. Rick and Victor gave their spouses beautiful jewelry, like the kind you saw in a Zale's commercial. Vesper was happy to watch the merry couples laugh and exchange kisses. Somehow she didn't think of James once.

Following the gift exchange they all sat down to a nice turkey dinner. Of course, as Vic made clear to everyone, Gar never touched the meat and a few other foods. Rick made the announcement that he was going to start working for Wayne Enterprises, under the asking of Bruce himself, and was changing jobs. The others spoke of their lives: how Vic was a successful auto mechanic who was known as 'Mr. Fix-it' in their home town and was probably going to be starting a job at NASA, how Bee was a vet, and how Gar somehow managed to live by going from one odd job to the next. "I was a pool boy for about a week when the Missus of the house tried to seduce me." Gar said, telling a comedic memory. "I told her that I didn't like making out with collagen and quit."

Everyone – well, almost everyone – laughed. The table was cleared away half an hour later. Rick told Kori to leave the dishes for later, since she had spent most of her day in the kitchen. As the others filed out of the room, Kori and Gar remained to clear the table.

Kori stacked some plates, sighing happily to herself. "I am glad that James did not attend."

Gar almost nodded, then gave a perplexed look. "Who's James?"

"Hmm?" she blinked multiple times, feigning ignorance. "Oh, you know James." When he shook his head, she answered. "Vesper's fiancé."

Gar nearly dropped the plates he was holding. "WHAT?"

Seeing this could quickly escalade to a foiling of her plans if someone interrupted, she laid the plates on the table and plastered a hand over his mouth. "Hush, friend! I'm sorry, I spoke incorrectly. She is his fiancée no longer."

Gar jerked back from her hand. "B-but she didn't tell me about him!" He hissed, certainly lowering his voice. "I asked her!"

She shook her head slowly, giving an air of understanding. "Gar, please sit." He did so, putting the plates back on the table. Kori continued: "James and Vesper have been engaged for two months. They were planning to wed in the month of June and move to the city of Seattle afterwards. It was a splendid future plan they had devised."

Gar felt his insides churn from jealousy, though he didn't know it was the cause at the time. His fists clenched. "If they were engaged and sound so happy together, why did they end it?"

Kori sighed again. "James ended the relationship two days ago. He slept with another woman and she is now expecting his child. He told Vesper that he wished to remain with this other woman."

Now rage, unbridled and unrestrained boiled in him. He slammed his curled fist onto the table. "That bastard! How could he hurt someone like Vesper? She's a wonderful person!"

She nodded, inwardly grinning. "I know. Vesper came to my house after leaving his home. She was crying the entire night. I lost many good Tamaranian vases to her woe. But had certain events not come to pass in her favor a few years ago, my entire home would be a wreck now, so vases were a fair trade." She gazed into his infuriated eyes. "She told me she had threatened to castrate him. And would have done it too…if she had truly loved him."

Gar blinked, a goofier, more childish quirkiness appearing. "Eww, castrate? And wait – what? If she had what?"

"When she spoke with me she learned," she grinned proudly, "that she did not truly love James. He was merely a substitute for her happiness."

"…Like Malchior." He whispered.

She nodded. "Like Malchior." Kori stood. "Now, do you see?"

He smiled, despite all the unrest within. "Yeah, I do. Thanks, Star."

She patted his shoulder, smiling sweetly, "Anytime, my friend."

That was when Rick entered, taking his lovely wife by the hand, pulling her to the hall. "Come on, you two, Victor wants Christmas carols. He said Gar would know what that meant."

Gar grinned, "Ah, yeah, I do! This'll be sweet!"

When they entered the living room the buddies smiled gleefully.

"Remember that one we made up?"

"Dude, do I ever!"

As if on some invisible cue the guys burst out singing:

_Dashing through the snow_

_On a pair of broken skies_

_Down the hill I go_

_Crashing into trees!_

_The snow is turning red_

_I think I might be dead_

_I'm riding in an ambulance with staples in my head – oh!_

_9-1-1, 9-1-1_

_Call them right away!_

_Oh, what fun it is to ride in an ambulance today, hey!_

_9-1-1, 9-1-1_

_Call them right away!_

_Oh, what fun it is to ride in an ambulance today!_

_Hey!_

While Kori and Rick laughed heartily at the silly song they had written when they were kids, and Vesper chuckled, Bee said, "It's such a shame you guys didn't write a second verse!"

Vic wiped a fake tear from his eye, "Too bad, too bad…"

They all cooled down steadily. Kori began to play multiple tunes on the piano, and the others, minus one, joined in. When Gar saw that Vesper wasn't participating, he sat down next to her. "Hey, you okay?"

She was just about to respond when the doorbell rang once – twice – three times. The music stopped and everyone stared at the front door. "Do you have grouchy neighbors?" Vic queried.

Rick shook his head and went for the door, but Vesper leapt up and passed him. "Let me get it." She said sharply. She could sense something was wrong. Whoever was at the door was someone with an odd aura; she could tell. As she came to reach for the handle the last voice in the entire world that she wanted to hear whined drunkenly from the other side.

"Vesper! Vesper, my lovely, where are you?" The voice howled wildly. "It's your fiancé, James!"

* * *

Oh no! What now, huh? I dunno, I'm writing this off the top of my head. I'm just that cool, heehee.

Well, going to NYC tonight at 2 IN THE MORNING. So not looking forward to the bus ride. I'll ask to sit in the aisle cuz the chairs aren't cozy. I'm that sort of snobby girl (but not really!)

Okay, review and all! Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Isaac out


	5. A Rivalry?

Hello! I was in NYC for three whole days and it was certainly…different, especially since I didn't have internet connection. Men grabbed my butt, got motion sickness from an elevator (dude, never ride the Hilton's), got lost more than once, was very upset when I learned that almost no store in Chinatown has a bathroom, was mistaken for a rich kid in a chandelier store and was expected to buy a 4000 piece of gaudiness, got honked at by umpteen-million cabs, saw five seconds of porn and was grossed out, and learned that McDonald's buns have an average of 178 sesame seeds on them. IT ROCKED! Plus, it rocked even more cuz DarkElf6 was there with me the entire time.

Yay, thanks for the reviews and the advice and the booing towards James! What fun! And don't worry; her name will slowly be transformed back to 'Raven'. Over time she will accept her true name. And one more important note: I like all Titans. So even though I am a Rae/BB supporter, I still like Terra and think she's cool.

Onward!

* * *

Ch. 5: A Rivalry?

_She could sense something was wrong. Whoever was at the door was someone with an odd aura; she could tell. As she came to reach for the handle the last voice in the entire world that she wanted to hear whined drunkenly from the other side._

"_Vesper! Vesper, my lovely, where are you?" The voice howled wildly. "It's your fiancé, James!"_

Vesper groaned, leaning into the door. She ignored the incredulous stares of her friends. 'This can't be happening…' she thought dismally. 'Not like this!'

"Uh, Vesper?" Gar asked from the living room. He had come to stand at the entryway to the hall. When she sent him a nervous expression, he realized that she didn't know that he knew. "Uh, that guy – uh, heh, whoever he is – sounds drunk." He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Heeee-_lloooooooooooo_!" James wailed like a wolf. "I wanna speak to the boss-person, owner-of-this-house here! Send out your men, you scalawag, or feel the wrath of my Blitzkrieg!"

"Very, _very_ drunk." Gar added.

Vesper shook her head, pulling herself off the door. "No, no, I'll talk to him. I know him, obviously, and he's my responsibility. It's nothing I can't handle."

"But –"

"I can handle it, Gar." She said again. But she sent him a small smile anyway. "Thanks, though."

Before he could reply she pulled open the door, revealing a handsome, blond man who smelled like alcohol and cologne. Gar immediately didn't like him. He was about to say so when Vesper sent him one last warning look and slid outside, closing the front door. Kori came to stand next to him. Gar felt helpless. All he could do was wait.

* * *

"Alright, James, what do you want?" She crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to keep herself warm. Fruitless effort, really.

He took a step closer to her, apparently having more common sense than he had let on. "What, are you daft? Vesper, my darling, I've come to take you back!" A giddy grin swept over his face.

"You're drunk," she said monotonously. "You shouldn't be here."

"And neither should you!" James exclaimed, reaching swiftly for her hand. Vesper stepped back from him. "Come on, Vesper, babe, we're going home!"

"First of all, I won't get behind the wheel with you drunk." She stated firmly. "Second, you have a girlfriend and a child on the way. We ended it, remember?"

James didn't look put off in the slightest. He held a wobbly finger up. "Funny thing, actually. Seems that the kid may not be mine. Apparently I'm not Kelly's only romping partner. Damn shame, really, to tell me right before Christmas." (A/N: Terrible, terrible shame…)

Vesper had a hard time containing her laughter. "How ironic," she scoffed. "But you sure don't sound so disappointed about it."

James smiled. "Why do you think I'm drunk, Vesper? Drank my sorrows away. Now like I said, I'm ready to forgive you. You can come home. Even if that kid is mine, I won't take it in. The skank can find some other man."

"Just as you can find some other woman." Vesper said sharply, teeth beginning to chatter. Goosebumps were getting goosebumps. "Look, James, I'm getting cold. Sorry about Kelly – well, honestly, not really – but I expect you to move on like always. Good night. I'll see you at work later."

"Cold, eh?" James inquired curiously, yet…darkly.

Before Vesper could comprehend what he was thinking, he pressed her firmly against the door, pinning her roughly. The breath was forced from her lungs.

"J-James," she managed. "W-what –?"

She could smell the rancid alcohol on his breath. It made her sick to see the glaze sheen over his eyes. James sniffed her. "I've missed your scent. I've missed your body and your kisses. I miss you." He grabbed her arm. "I don't care who you used to be, Raven. Come home with me."

And his mouth came down on hers.

* * *

Rick, Beatrice, and Victor chatted quietly in the living room with Roland in Rick's arms. They knew what was going on, but like Vesper told them all, she would handle it. Besides, they could leave the worrying up to Kori and Gar.

The two sat on the stairs, Kori up two steps from Gar, both hunched over, elbows on thighs.

"I didn't believe he would return for her," Kori murmured, melancholy. "He is a wicked man. Maybe he will attempt to seduce her. Or threaten her."

She glanced down at her usually convivial and vibrant friend. He had now become remote and aloof. Was he falling for Vesper as she had planned? No doubt Vesper would turn James away, especially after what that man of duplicity had done. But did Gar realize that?

"If he does," Gar muttered, eyes never leaving the door, "I'll hurt him."

A chill ran through her body at the thought of what lay within Gar. If this got too far out of hand, hurting James would be the least of his actions. Killing was a possibility since that incident.

Just then a thump came from the door. Something had been slammed against it. Gar and Kori immediately jumped up.

Kori gasped, "Do you think –?"

"He better not be." Gar growled forebodingly as he leapt down the steps. The other three came to the entryway. He paused only for a moment, glaring at them warningly, then opened the door.

Vesper fell back into his arms. He caught her gently, instantly wrapping her in his own body heat. He pulled her upright, still holding her close against him. She was freezing. James tumbled forward too, losing focus momentarily. Once he gained his balance he glowered fiercely at Gar.

"Give her to me," he hissed.

Everyone gathered closely behind Gar. Victor cracked his knuckles.

"She's not going anywhere near you, you creep." Gar snarled. Vesper stood stiffly in his grip. She was uncomfortable with being protected like this. It made her feel like a damsel in distress, not like the heroine of the day she used to be. (A/N: Thus the title) But this time she was not going to protest. Not with that slight blush rising in her cheeks.

James squared his shoulders at this newfound competition. But he instead turned his direction to his ex. "Vesper –"

"_Don't you dare_!" Gar roared furiously. His eyes glinted red, like blood. "_You leave her alone_!"

"Get out of here, James," Rick said sharply.

James blinked rapidly, unable to believe what was happening. He stared at Vesper, hoping that she'd say something. She only glared. He pointed at her as he stepped back. "I _will_ be back for you."

And he left, slamming the door shut.

Quickly Kori ushered the others back into the living room, leaving Gar and Vesper alone. They stood like statues for several moments and then she broke free from his grasp.

"Thank you for defending me," she muttered, turning, but not meeting his eyes.

"Heh," he smiled, putting a hand to the back of his neck. "Ex's can be pretty tough on you, I guess."

"I guess…"

"You know, if you want, you can cry. I don't mind if you get a little emotional."

She raised her head. He was shocked to see her eyes were dead. "I'm fine. This was not strain on my emotions. I handled it."

"Good thing lying isn't an emotion. You aren't hiding it very well." He attempted to joke, then approached her slowly, closing quite a bit of the gap she had made. "Look, I know about James. The others told me. It's –"

"They _told_ you?" Vesper couldn't believe what she had just heard. She was here for the holidays escaping James and her apparently soap opera-ish relationship. She was trying her hardest not to be the center of attention, yet is seemed like the camera was always pointed at her! Now she was angry. "I didn't ask for pity, Gar. I don't need people to feel sorry for me. I can handle my emotions!"

His kind face never faltered. "Like you're doing now?"

That got her. Overwhelming depression caused her shoulders to slump and her head to drop.

"Vesper, it's okay," he told her calmly. He could sense that the other four were listening in from the living room, pretending to be chatting. Ignoring them, he continued, "I'm your friend. You could have told me."

"I didn't want pity."

"Then you wouldn't have gotten any." Gar said back. "I woulda been angry at the guy, but I wouldn't pity you. I think I've learned my lesson after doing that quite a few times."

She shook her head. "Gar, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

She didn't realize it, but she was so trapped in her own guilty world that she began to retract from her surroundings. Gar didn't want her to completely shut down, so he pulled her into a hug. Vesper tensed, then slowly leaned into him. They stood that way for several moments.

Finally she eased out, gazing up at his beautiful emerald eyes. "I…I'm going to bed, I think. I'm very tired."

He nodded. "I'm going to be here for a whole week before I fly back to California. We can still see each other. I'm not going to be busy here, y'know."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

"I'm sure we could all spend New Year's together." Rick said, coming to the hall. "Vic and Bee will also be staying for a while longer. In fact, Kori and I are going to out to lunch with them tomorrow. Anyway, you guys wanna do New Year's here?"

Everyone smiled.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Gar said.

Vesper made her rounds, hugging everyone goodnight. She sauntered up the steps, holding Roland, leaving the company. Everyone reseated themselves, speaking in hushed tones.

"That asshole," Bee shook her head. "I met him once and didn't like the man one bit. I had a feeling he'd be trouble."

"As did I," Kori agreed.

"It's funny," Rick thought out loud. "Of all the people who _did_ trust him, it was the one who doesn't trust anyone. She tends to have the best judgment. She should have seen what we did."

"Well, we're all married," Vic suggested. "Maybe 'cause she didn't have anybody, he was the closest to someone who cared."

Kori nodded. "She made that revelation on the night she came here."

Gar, who hadn't been so involved in the discussion, looked form the stairs to his friends. "Is it just me, or did that guy remind you of Terra?"

After a moment Kori bowed her head. "I did not want to say anything."

"Yeah," Rick agreed. "James made me think of her."

"The dude looked a lot like her," Gar pondered. "I wonder if they're related."

They all sat in silence, contemplating what had just been said. So deep in thought they were that when the grandfather clock chimed ten o'clock they all jumped in their seats. Gar stood up quickly. "I'd better get back to my hotel."

"Us too," Victor stood up, helping his wife stand. He hugged Kori. "Thanks for a great day, Kor. You never cease to amaze me."

She beamed. "I am proud to host. I enjoy your company, Victor."

Rick hugged Bee and kissed her cheek. "We're excited about the coming of the twins. The sooner they come, the better."

She laughed. "The sooner they come, the sooner I'll be changing diapers and cleaning drool!"

Gar finished patting Vic on the back. "Hey, just get the big guy here to do it for you!"

Vic automatically backed up. "No way, man."

Gar chuckled and made his way to the door, presents in hand.

"You know, Gar, if I were you, I'd have gone for it." Richard said.

"Dude…" Gar warned.

"I totally agree," Vic grinned, hand on the doorknob. "You had the perfect opportunity to kiss her and you blew it."

"Well, considering what she's been put through, it'd be the dumbest move ever." Gar returned firmly. "That's _not_ what she needs right now."

Kori broke out in what appeared to be random laughter.

Rick frowned. "Honey, what's so funny?"

"He understands females better than you and he isn't even wedded!"

The two guys lost their cocky expressions. Gar and Bee grinned.

"Looks like somebody just shot you down, Mr. Testosterone." Bee punched her husband lightly in the shoulder before they slid out the door in their thick coats. "We'll be here tomorrow, you guys!"

Gar followed, completely forgetting to wave goodbye, as he was so deep in thought about Vesper and James.

* * *

Since it's Spring Break, I'm liable to write up another chapter soon. Hope you liked this one! DarkElf6, have fun in Colorado!

Isaac out


	6. It's Not OverNot Yet

Okay, uhh, when I said I was liable to get another chapter in within the next week, I suppose I ultimately lied. Forgive me! Please, I hope this makes up for the blunder.

Thanks, y'all, for all your James bashing and Gar cheering!

DarkElf6 – Hey, hun, 'sup? I… have nothing to say…. How horrid! I have no people bashing comments at this time. What's wrong with me? I'm ill.

Disclaimer: (I forgot this the last couple times, oops) I guess if I gotta say it: I don't own the Teen Titans. Haha, I believe in the fact that you cannot own creativity, it is an untamed essence. We are vessels of imagination.

* * *

Chapter 6: It's Not Over…Not Yet

Two days after Christmas it all settled down, turning into a horrible nightmare instead of a real turn of events. Vesper tried to see it that way. She had sat many hours in 'her' room alone, recapping all that happened that unfortunate night. James was a jerk. Gar was a shocker. Kori was a good cook. There had been many surprises that night. She didn't like where it was all leading. A nagging feeling tugged at the back of her mind. If only she had her mirror.

Victor and Bee had come over the day after Christmas, like they said they would. In a jaunty honking of their rental car they called upon the Grayson residency, pulling the couple within like flowers to a warm sun. Vesper stayed behind, taking care of Roland. She had grown quite attached to her 'nephew' and he had returned the favor. She held him close to her – not smothering him like she had often seen other women – and cooed in his ear and played peek-a-boo. The boy was wonderful company.

The next day, however, Vesper had vacated her room, packed her bags, and loaded it all into the trunk of her car. She stood in the doorway of the house, hugging her hosts goodbye for now.

She swept Kori into a tight grip. "Thanks for taking care of me. I owe you guys so much."

Kori squeezed her back, then released her. "Oh, Vesper, I love it when you visit, even when it is for the most inconvenient of purposes. You have a long drive ahead of you, yes?"

"An hour and a half, or something like that." Vesper shrugged. "LittleBrook isn't that far away from Samson." (A/N: I still live on the east coast, please recall…) She saw Rick with Roland and gasped animatedly. "Roland!" She swept him into her arms, holding him like he was the most precious being she ever beheld. "A couple times a year isn't enough to see you three. I need to visit more."

"We'll always have our door open for you," Rick grinned, hugging her.

Kori took Roland from a reluctant Vesper. "Maybe one day you will have one of your own."

Vesper stood there momentarily, dreamily thinking over motherhood, and then shook it clearly from her head. "No, I can't. It wouldn't be right. I can't risk it. Goodbye."

She walked away. Kori and Rick frowned, surprised, but it was an understandable response. Rick looked at his wife. "I thought her emotions were stable. I thought she could express herself."

Kori sighed. "Not now. It's not over for our friend Raven. Not yet. She has one step left, I think, and then she will be well. And whole."

Vesper sat down and hooked the seatbelt buckle with vigor. She was angry. But why? She groaned. 'Damn it, why'd they have to bring motherhood up?' At least she had the courtesy to wave goodbye.

She enjoyed the time to herself on her way home, realizing that she hadn't felt this comfortable in a long while. Her mind drifted away although she subconsciously focused on the road. She though back on arrogant, naïve James, wondering how she had ever fallen in love with such an idiot. He was so selfish and inconsiderate! He'd played her for a fool and when his karma bit him in the butt he expected sympathy. It wasn't ever going to happen. He said he'd come back for her. She was going to lock her door and even her windows, even though she lived on the seventh floor of an apartment complex. James would never get her anymore. Gar would make sure of that.

Gar.

Goodness, how she had hated him when they were younger. He was much less mature back then; a child in a teen's body. She herself had been much more reserved and dark. They were complete opposites. But several unexpected events caused them to be friends. They even understood each other better. Both had limits on their emotions, particularly rage. If they were ever angry to such a wild extent, they would lose control in different ways. It had drawn a connection between them, as loathsome as that had sounded to her when she was younger.

Throught the folds of time Vesper and Gar both learned to conquer themselves. They helped each other do it. In fact, if it hadn't been for his aid, she would never have defeated Trigon in her ultimate battle. When they had retired from their world of Jump City all went separate ways: Kori and Richard to Samson, Oregon; Victor and Beatrice to California, as well as Gar; and she to another quiet town in Oregon. The goodbye and departure from Jump City had been especially hard between Vesper, who had been Raven, and Garfield, who had been Beast Boy. He, a beast, and she, a half-demon, had formed a deep friendship. To say farewell to the one who quite literally saved her life was one of the hardest things she ever had to do…

_Flashback-_

_Beast Boy, eighteen years old and no longer a boy, gazed at his female friend as they stood side-by-side on the roof of their tower._

"_I'm gonna miss you, Rae," he said softly._

_She took his hand. "We'll see each other during the holidays and such. If you ever hear Robin or Starfire or even Cyborg say anything about a girl named Vesper Crow, then you know it's me."_

_He nodded, smiling. He couldn't look away from her tear-stained face. She had come up here when she had felt herself crying, and embarrassed, fled. He had followed. His green skin and olive hair began to fad into normal shades as she slipped the ring on his finger. "Cyborg has one, too," She continued. "So no one will know who he is. Bumble Bee has earrings to cover her wings. They look like regular people."_

_Beast Boy was at a loss for words. He had to think of something quickly before the silence drowned him. "I hope these new recruits are as good as they've bragged to be. I don't wanna get blown up cause they can't compare to us."_

_She smiled sadly. "The new recruits taking our places will do fine. I don't think we're going to see the end of the world any time soon. Besides, as long as we get to live like we've always wanted, who cares?"_

"_Yeah," he agreed. "We can finally be normal."_

"_I've been waiting for this for a long time." She looked at the setting sun and away from the handsome young man standing beside her. She wiped her tears away with her shirt sleeve. "We'd better get back inside. I want to meditate one last time before I leave."_

_Raven realized that Beast Boy had yet to let go of her hand. She stared at their link, then back at her friend. Before she could second guess his thoughts, he planted a kiss on her cheek. "Yeah, Rae, let's go back in."_

_When he let go of her hand and entered the T-shaped building, Raven stood there for a long minute, slowly putting a hand to her flushed cheek._

"_I love you, Beast Boy," she whispered. "I love you, Garfield Logan."_

Vesper pulled up at a stop sign just as the end of the memory replayed in her head. She was so shocked that she had said that and completely forgotten, it was like a stab to the heart. The stop sign was surrounded by a black aura and dipped over backwards. Seeing this she quickly stepped on the gas.

Had she really said that?

Well obviously she'd forgotten, otherwise it wouldn't have taken a year to meet her first boyfriend, who, like all the others, was turned down by her. Vesper pondered over that fact. She had been the one to end every one of her relationships. People said it was a sign of maturity, but she no longer knew. It sounded more like a sign of fear to her.

Finally the apartment complex came into view. The concrete building was shrouded by a forest and was a while of the main road. That was why she liked it. She lived on the top floor because she liked looking down on the world, much like she had back in the tower. And at night she could float up to the roof and she wouldn't have to pass by any neighbor's window. She could tell her patio from all the others. It was bare; no plants – although they were all dead on the other patios – and no mini animal statues. There was just a black curtain and wind chimes. She was fond of wind chimes.

In the living room / TV room / dining room she looked around. The walls were a flat white. The furniture was dark. Her room looked all black and white. There was not a spot of any in-between color. Kind of like her. When she was younger she loved the silence. No one would ever disturb her. But now she found that it was the silence itself that was disturbing her.

Determined to keep the silence from eating her alive she examined her mail. It was all just bills.

"Even on Christmas," she glowered at the white envelopes.

Then, as though fate had determined it, a certain letter fell to the floor. It immediately caught her attention. She placed the other junk on the table and picked it up from the floor. It was an invitation. She opened it up – but curiously it had looked to already have been opened and resealed – and read.

_Dear Mr. James Ethridge:_

_LittleBrook Hospital is hosting a Pre-New Years Day celebration at the Newington Country Club December 29. – _

She stopped reading. Tossing it aside, she picked up a smaller, poorly folded piece of paper tucked inside the envelope. It was in James' handwriting. Now she knew why it looked as though it had been opened before. James was resending the letter to her. Opening up his personal note to her, she glared.

_My Vesper,_

_For the sake of my appearance and your identity, you and I are attending. I'll be seeing you in the parking lot. Come if you want to keep your name. I can bring you down in a heartbeat._

_Your devoted and loving fiancé,_

_James_

_P.S. Wear something sexy, darling. I want my colleagues to be jealous of the vixen on my arm._

That twisted bastard.

"Vixen, my ass," Vesper growled. "I'd go dressed in trash bags just to tick that man off." She knew she'd have to go. There was no chance whatsoever in escaping the one who apparently held all the cards. James was the victor. Feeling defeated, she picked the invitation off the floor and laid it on the table. A split second later, the invite was open wide and her eyes perused it. When she found her loophole, she grinned. In fine print, the letter said:

_We encourage you to bring guests._

"Bring guests," she mused.

One name surfaced in her head: Gar.

She gazed longingly at her phone. "It's not over, James. Not yet."

We fall out of embellished highs

Into a pool of blood and lies

And seeping within our mortal selves

Is our endearing, livid hell

To fight the storms that rage within

We wear a prideful, phony grin

But love chances our wings to fly

And soon we dance in open skies

* * *

Y'all come back now, you hear? Miss Isaac wuvs you all!

And I know this chapter was slow. It'll kick up in the next chapter, I promise!

Isaac Out.


	7. Backfire

Céad Míle Fáilte, my friends.

Okay, wow, I was gonna post this weekend, but a certain review informed me to do otherwise. Sorry, but I have a saying to pass on: When life's a bitch, slap her and carry on. It's so cool; I just made it up on the spot! It has no relevance whatsoever, though. Life is just a rollercoaster right now, so hang on with me and we'll make it to the end of the ride, yay!

Rose – Okay, I'm posting a new chapter in your name! Hold back that angry mob; I bring ample servings of cheesecake and cookies! I have chocolate cheesecake, white chocolate cheesecake, key-lime cheesecake, New York-style cheesecake, finale cheesecake, etc, as well as cookies, your choice. And let me get this straight: you want me to make outtakes? I tried something different. Look at the bottom. And I think you're _really_ going to like an upcoming character.

RavenlovesBB – Sweety, you and your friends review all you want. Have some of Rose's cheesecake, even. Oh, and here's my random comment to you: 'The gum stopped the wheel and now astronomy's a bum!' I'm glad you like the story! You rock!

DarkElf6 – I'm glad you like the poem sweetie! Don't you just love man-bashing? Haha, I'm just kidding. Guys are way cool.

Free-Desert-Wind – Yeah, he reminds me of Lockhart, too, now that you pointed it out. Huh, I always mentally compared him to Hugh Grant in the Bridget Jones movies. And thank you for telling me my portrayal of Raven is very good. I wasn't so sure she was living up to her character, but you made me feel so much better!

To Rachel, Scathac's warrior, Wrathclyde, DarkWindingRose, Takimiromy, and TDG3RD for the wonderful support, James bashing, and Gar cheering! You guys rock my socks!

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Nope, not at all. Never ever ever. Isn't even a glimmer of possibility. Na-ah. (ARE YOU HAPPY?)

* * *

Ch. 7: Backfire

Vesper picked up the phone. She put it down. She picked it up again…and put it down. And then she stared at for a good five minutes. Before long she was tapping her foot on the tile floor, folding her arms, and mentally praying the phone would just burst into flames before she had the chance to grab it. But it didn't. And so, with no choices left, she picked it up and dialed his cell.

One ring – She wanted to hang up so badly…

Two rings – Was he _ever_ going to answer?

Three rings – Jesus, this anticipation was bad for the heart.

Four rings – "Hello?"

Vesper blinked rapidly, then realizing she had stopped breathing, and inhaled, completely forgetting Gar.

"Uh, hel-_lo_?"

"Oh, uh, Gar?" Vesper gasped out quickly. Her nerves were frayed. She needed to calm down. "Hi, how are you?" She inwardly wanted to punch herself now.

"Vesper?" His voice was that of one who was surprised and maybe a bit nervous. Hearing his voice and almost sensing his anxiety cooled her down. At least she wasn't the only one uneasy here. She cleared her throat.

"Yeah, Gar," she returned to her monotone. "It's me. Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure –" Gar was cut off forcefully and she heard what sounded like a crash in the background. It followed with an 'oomph!' on his part and some heavy breathing when he brought the phone back to his ear. "Sorry, tripped."

Vesper rolled her eyes. "Then I suggest you sit down."

"Uh…I was."

If it were possible for little sweatdrops to appear on the backs of people's heads, she'd have an enormous one dangling next to her throbbing temple. "Listen, Gar, I need your help."

His voice automatically switched to concern. "Why, what's wrong?"

She sighed, a little hesitant. "It's just... Well, to put it bluntly, it's James."

"Say what?" Gar cried out. "What'd he do to you? I swear, if he hurt you, I'll –"

"You'd what?" she asked with intrigue, raising an eyebrow. "Look, Garfield, all I need to know is this: are you free in two nights?"

She told him everything. She told him about how she and James met in the hospital and how she had work there again starting on the thirtieth, but that was irrelevant. She told him about their relationship, up to the very end, and then added that, oh, by-the-way, he-knows-who-I-am comment, which gave her a big, whooping, "WHAT!" from her confidant. Gar agreed to aid her immediately and without reservation, which brought a spark of hope in her soul.

"Thanks, Gar," she said, reaching the end of their conversation. "This means a lot to me. Really, it does."

"Ah, anything for you, Rae," he said modestly, then added before she could respond. "Remember, it's supposed to snow that night, so wear something warm. Eight o'clock?"

"Yes, eight." She said softly.

"Okay, then." He said. "Oh, and remember this too: I'll never let that bastard hurt you. I'll be here for you always. I…care about you. Don't ever forget that."

And the line went dead. Vesper stared at the receiver for a long time, then finally hung up. She didn't understand men at all.

* * *

It was the night. For some reason Vesper couldn't contain her nervousness. Only after her dresser drawers had shot out and spurted clothing for the third time, did she finally grab a coat, slide her balcony door open and fly to the roof. It was dark, so no one could see her. Gar was right about the snow. It came down in buckets and made it rather hard to see, especially while floating. As if her floating wasn't poor enough after years of uselessness…

The cold didn't matter though, because her home world had temperatures like this almost annually. When she had moved to Jump City it had been hard to adjust, but she had managed. The cold was her friend in respects. She was most definitely a winter person. No one was on the roof – like anyone would want to be at the end of December – and she proceeded to fold her legs and hover. She began to repeat her bland mantra, falling deep into herself.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…" she reiterated. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…"

Vesper became consumed with the sound of her voice; the slight tones and accents filling and forming the words of her meditation. The words became portals, taking her far away and out of reach. She found peace and tranquility smothering her like a heated blanket out in the depths of a frozen river, ever keeping her safe. The tumultuous emotions stabilized as she inhaled a new outlook – that of reason and pragmatism. Finally she emerged from her haven, and when she did she realized she was running late and that she couldn't feel her fingers, toes, or ears.

Back inside she found that she only had half-an-hour to get ready to go. Gar would be arriving soon. "I'm feeling the impatience of rush hour and I'm not even in a car." She muttered sourly. She raced to her closet, pulling out her one and only new dress. As always, it was black, but it was absolutely beautiful.

It was sleeveless and had an empire waistline, accentuating her breasts and slim figure. The waist was tight, but snug, so that she could still breathe comfortably. Along the gown, which trailed in a loose, flowing silk, were dark crimson vines, weaving wildly from hip to toe. The same pattern rolled across the bodice. (A/N: Sorry, it's a crappy design.) Her earrings and necklace displayed ruby jewels in simple silver designs. Her hair was held up by a large, black clip with rubies also adorning the handle. James had bought her that for her birthday. She wore little makeup, for her features were already bold enough. She did, however, go for a fairly simple shade of red on her lips, not globbing it on like Kori used to when she was first introduced to the 'mall of shopping'. Satisfied, she waited to get the phone call. Vesper had asked him not to come up and get her, and that instead she would come down. As always, she was very private about her living quarters.

Yet panic rose again and she began pacing. "Come on, Raven," she murmured to herself, using her real name. "Don't lose it. You can't meditate; the dress won't let you fold your legs. He'll be here soon. It will all work out in the end. You are no damsel. Do not be weak. Do not –"

The phone rang, ruining her train of thought and causing her to jump in place. After putting a hand to her heart, she walked over and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Vesper." It was Gar. "Coming down?"

"I'll be right there." And she hung up.

She swung her black coat over her shoulders, sliding her arms inside, and grabbed her purse. This was it. This was the moment she had been dreading for two days. She opened the door and made her way down the hall, pausing. Two men were standing at the elevator door, examining it.

"I dunno what's up with this thing…"

"It acts up all the time…"

She came to stand behind them. "Um, hello? What's going on?"

They turned around. The first speaker smiled sadly. "Elevator isn't working. If you need to go down, I suggest you take the stairs, miss."

"Actually, Bernie," the other man said. There's a spill on the stairs. One of janitors dropped a bucket of soap water. It isn't safe for you to go down in those shoes, ma'am. If you hang on for a few minutes, we'll have the stairs dried up."

She sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. It wasn't a complete dilemma. There was more than two ways for her to get down. "No thanks," she said. "It's okay."

"You sure, miss?" Bernie asked.

"Positive." She turned on her heel and reentered her apartment. Locking the front door, she walked over to the sliding balcony door. A blast of wind shocked the hell out of her, but she braved it and stepped out to the rail, sliding it closed behind her. Down below was Gar standing next to a red rental car. The snow had calmed and was barely a hindrance to her line of sight. No one was around. It was too dark to be seen and it was too far from the main road for anyone driving by to notice her. If she did it, no one would ever know.

She wasn't doing it for the thrill or because she was reckless. Vesper was just impatient. Slowly and carefully, she grabbed hold of the rail and lifted her skirts, climbing up to stand on the rickety little barrier that kept normal people from plummeting to their deaths. Her heels disagreed strongly with her course of action, but she balanced well. She was probably well out of practice with hovering, as the day's earlier events had proved, but she had the utmost confidence in herself. Looking down, she called out to her 'date'.

She could tell he heard her, because she heard a faint, "_Holy shit, what the hell are you doing!_" And not only did he hear her, he saw her too, apparently.

Laughing slightly at his astonished and terrified reaction, she wasted no time in shouting, "I'm coming down!" This was so not like her. Either she was learning that she would do anything to be near him, or that she was going mad. It didn't matter that much. She jumped anyway.

Gar, knocked senseless, cried out as she leaned forward just before the fall, "_No, think about the dress!_" But it was too late. She was dropping.

Vesper concentrated on nothing but her, the distance between her and the ground, and her brakes. Freefall felt wonderful. She didn't mind the air biting her legs as the skirts danced around her knees. She used a bit of her magic to keep them down. She also didn't mind that her hair would be trashed. She didn't like that hairclip James gave her anyway. Total control was what she felt and it wasn't something she had sensed in a long time. As long as nothing happened that would throw off her attention, she'd be fine.

But, alas, she was beginning to believe that fate had a twisted sense of humor.

Half way down she panicked, losing sight of Gar. Picking up on his presence, she looked up, and saw a pterodactyl swooping down to grab her. This threw off her concentration completely, and now her definition of freefall became gravity's definition. She now tumbled downward without any control whatsoever. But the reassuring grip of claws on her shoulders told her she was safe.

Vesper thought irately that he was _so_ going to suffer for this.

They landed safely on the ground, still unseen to anyone else. Gar took human form again, but came out of pterodactyl form literally green. His ring had fallen off. Vesper rested in his arms, like the damsel she told herself not to be, fuming at her would-be savior.

"Vesper, are you alright?" Gar asked, concerned.

"Gar!" She responded wrathfully. "You messed me up!"

He gaped, clearly not expecting that reaction. "Hey, dude, I _saved_ you! You were tumbling at the speed of someone who had _no_ control!"

"Wait, _I_ had no control?" Vesper growled. "I was doing well until you freaked out and played knight."

"No, you wouldn't have stopped on time!" Gar fought back. "When was the last time you did something like that?"

"It doesn't matter." She snapped. "Flying and levitating come naturally to me."

"Are you forgetting who I am?" He asked. "I've been too many birds to count. I think I know more than you do."

"Are you saying I misjudged?"

"No, Raven, I'm flat-out saying that you could have screwed up and gotten yourself killed!" His grip on her tightened.

Vesper was furious at him for defying her. "I trained my mind and body for years when we were younger to be able to calculate and react to distances. Not only my mind, but my body, would have naturally known when to slow down. Automatically."

He glared down at her, a red tint in his eyes, whereas hers were an icy, steely violet. "Yeah, well you seemed to think you knew what you were doing, but your body was definitely out of practice."

Her arms – which had circled his neck – tightened as well. "So you think you know my body better than I do, Beast Boy?"

They were both oblivious to the explicit sound of her innocent, angry sentence. "Yeah, Raven, I think I do."

Her voice grew cold. "Well, I'm inclined to agree with you, finding that _you're_ the one grabbing my ass!"

"Hey, I –" And Gar froze, completely ceasing to speak. Her own glare turned to one of embarrassment.

"This…this is ridiculous," she finally managed to say. Vesper slid out of Gar's arms. As she primed herself, she said, "We better get going. Someone may have seen us."

"Yeah, you're right," He agreed. "I mean, what'll people say when they see a green guy, an attempted suicide, and a pterodactyl all in one night?"

"Nothing, because I'd silence them." Vesper said sharply. "I – Gar, where's your ring?"

Gar shrugged. "Must've fallen off when I morphed. What, you didn't notice me green? You were looking right at me."

"Well, yes, I was, but I guess I'm so used to seeing you this way that I forgot when and where we were." She bowed her head, then seeing the ring on the ground, bent to pick it up. "Here." She took his hand and slid it back on. When in place, it activated, beginning to turn his hand, arm, and soon body back to normal shades.

"Better?" she asked and he nodded.

Vesper didn't let go of his hand, nor did he pull away. It was a good feeling; holding his hand made her happy. It made her think back on their last private moment before the Titans had separated.

"_I love you, Beast Boy…I love you, Garfield Logan…_"

A blush she couldn't control shot up her cheeks. Frantically she dropped his hand and looked away, allowing strands of hair to cascade over her face. She couldn't have Gar see her this way. Before she could suggest they leave his hand reached out and pulled the wayward strands from her view, tucking them behind her ear.

"You know, the way we were talking, it was almost like we switched places. Remember when you used to be the sane one? Now you're jumping off of balconies and being disciplined."

Vesper smiled, still not looking at him. "You've lost a lot of your boyhood fire. Where'd the maturity come from?"

He crossed his arms in mock offense. "What, a guy can't age out in the real world? Shit happens, baby, and I happened to walk in a lot of it. Now, can we go?" He held out a hand, waiting for her to take it.

She shot him a tempered look. "Smooth. I can see why women love you. You're a regular Prince Charming."

"Ouch, and I thought my humor was dry."

With a slight chuckle she took his hand, admiring his handsomely dressed form. He wore a sharp tux with a red vest underneath, matching her dress.

She looked back at the apartment complex and groaned. The balcony rails on many levels had been bent into wild forms, victims of her transferred rage. Gar tugged at her hand.

"No point in worrying about it. C'mon, Vesper." As they walked to the car, he said to her, "You know, I shouldn't be saying this, but that dress on you is sexy."

Her heart skipped a fluttery beat and the windows of the car on the passenger side of Gar's rental cracked.

"Th-thank you," she managed to stutter.

He sent her one devilish wink before they opened their doors and slid into their seats.

* * *

Okay, New Year's Celebration next chapter! Sorry to keep you waiting, but I thought I'd throw in some one-on-one time with our main couple.

And for your pleasure, one and all, (and my embarrassment for my lame attempt at humor) I introduce you to:

_A Day In The Life Of The Teen Titans' Biggest Fan_.

(Dedicated to Rose, who wanted funny bloopers, but got this.)

You carry Nerf balls, a baseball bat, and a Frisbee in your dad's tool belt, which is fastened to your waist at all times in case of an emergency

You want a chakra tattoo on your forehead

You hate Yoda, convinced that Beast Boy is a much cooler green hero

You ask internet translators to convert English into Tameranian, but all you get are websites on Turkmenistan

You want a Titan's ringtone on your cell

When there's a thunderstorm outside, you yell at the sky, "Thunder! Lightning! Quit it before I kick your asses!"

You shave your eyebrows to look like Starfire's

You practice voodoo to see if you can bring your TT dolls to life

All you read are fantasy books, praying that somebody's stuck inside one

You hate pet stores because the don't sell larvae (Silky)

You want to live in a glass dome because you don't trust terra or cinderblock

You sing the TT theme song instead of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance

You tried cutting off your hand in order to successfully make a sonic cannon, but stopped when you discovered that it hurt

You are a museum stalker just waiting for a villain to rob one

You keep looking for Jump City on a map

You say Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos when you meditate and cry when you learn it doesn't make you levitate

You're in trouble with administration because you won't take off your Robin mask

Just because tofu upsets your stomach doesn't mean you won't eat that soy-beannie goodness at every meal

You harbor deep feelings for anorexic blondes

You try to move objects with your mind but all you get are headaches

You talk like Starfire

You expect to see Slade on America's Most Wanted list but you never see him. Why!

You built yourself multiple miniature clones of yourself and named them Barry, Jerry, Gary, Mary, and Terry, etc

Okay, that's all I have right now. Does this please? I know, why don't we have some fun with this? Everyone vote on your favorite TT character (can be a hero, villain, or background character) and the winner will be the subject of my 'A Day In The Life Of-' list. And if I suck, tell me so and send me your own list and I'll put it on an upcoming chapter.

Yay!

Isaac out.


	8. The First Impression Is Everything

Success! You all are the coolest peoples ever, yeah man. Hey, I noticed I'm rather exclamatory in my reviews. HaHA! Love to the exclamation mark! Review thanks:

Mystyre – Totally cool! Glad you like it.

Free-Desert-Wind – Yay, you rock big time! Your compliments always make me smile. I really enjoy and value your reviews. Thank you.

DragonGirl – Is my story so cool that you must cry? Cool! And don't cry; here have a hug.

Rose – How horrible of your sister to eat _your_ cheesecake! The injustice! Have some more key-lime. Hey, you have a Robin mask? I want one, but it would clash with the chakra on my forehead, lol.

TDG3RD – Thank ye kindly. I don't think even Vesper expected to be that reckless. We must learn why…

DarkWindingRose – I have posted your 'day in the life of…' at the bottom of this here chapter. And I thought it was funny.

Scathac's Warrior – Yes, we can all dream. Mock-suicide and perverted comments for everyone! Cheers!

RavenluvsBB – Yay! I updated again! I'm glad you liked the 'day' list! (!)

DarkElf6 – Our days have not been the greatest, nor have they been the brightest, but I have you and you have me and we shall make it through all of our hardships together. Lakshmi guide us both, my sister, and this darkness will end. I know it will. Is treasa dithis a' dol thar àn àtha na fad' o chèile. (And, dude, you rock MY socks! Our poor feet…)

Portmanroxsmysoxs – Thank you, m'dear! Glad you like!

Grey Rain – Gay? Never! Those were funny! I'm so adding those to the recently increased list down at the bottom. And I'm glad you like the jingle. It _is_ catchy…(hums tune) Dangit, not again!

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Disclaimer: (Are we there yet?)

* * *

Ch. 8: First Impression Is Everything

"So…a country club."

"Yes."

"That sounds…fancy."

"I guess."

"Yeah…Mind if I change the station?"

"Be my guest."

Gar sighed resignedly at the terse and aloof replies of the girl who had almost practically begged for his help merely days ago. It aggravated him so much that his focus was most pointed to her and not to the road. After multiple lane crossovers, Vesper smacked him on the back of the head and he refocused.

And yet his thoughts were on her, always of her and about her. She was certainly a changed woman since the last time he had seen her. Here she was, out of the old world and into the new, but the problems were always the same. She was still fighting some invisible power over which she had no control and suffering terribly in her heart as well.

It pained him to see her so. She was one who deserved so much respect and love, but there was never anyone to hold her, only to shun her. Vesper was worthy of so much more.

"LANE!" Vesper's voice bellowed in his right ear. Gar immediately awoke from his ponderings and veered the car back into the center of their lane. Vesper shook her head. "Sometimes I worry about you, Gar."

He rolled his eyes. "Trust me; I do that enough for the both of us."

She smiled slightly at his wry tone and he himself let warmth in his eyes glow. She was so beautiful, but even more so when she was happy. And it made him happy when she was brighter than her usual self.

Her voice broke through his train of thoughts: "One: you're shifting again. Two: make a right up here at the next stop sign." And she went back to closing herself off.

Gar knew he had to prod her until he got a conversation, and he knew it may possibly cost him a bone or two in the process, but he wanted to know her thoughts.

"So, why exactly _did_ you leap off the balcony?"

Ah, as he expected: a death glare.

* * *

Kori stepped outside into the cool night air. Although she was a cheery, bubbly, sunshiny woman, she also loved the night. When she looked up she could see home. There - that distant spot of light high above the unnaturally orange horizon - was where she used to belong. Now she was here with a family of her own and not having to live with the expectations of a royal court. It was tranquil and wonderful. She wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

She stepped down off the porch step and brushed the snow off a nearby bush. She waited to see the wilted leafs underneath as she freed them from the cold, flaky blanket.

What she saw made her gasp. "Rick!" she cried out, panicked.

Moments passed and her husband appeared in the doorway, apparently having run. "Kori? What's going on?"

She pointed to the plant. "Look!"

He trotted down to stand next to her. And Rick, too, made the face of one terribly confused. He gazed at his wife. "This is unnatural. Something happened here that made it do this."

"But, Rick, no one was here to do this. Only Vesper was near this plant. And…James. Who else would do this?"

Rick shook his head. "I don't know, but this is abnormal. I mean, since when do plants bloom in the middle of winter?"

His thoughts went unanswered.

* * *

Vesper still had said nothing since he posed his question and he was starting to become irritated.

"Yeah," he said sarcastically. "If it's quiet long enough you might actually evade the question. The silence sure has a way of erasing my memory…"

"Shut up." She answered tersely.

"Nope." Gar gave a lopsided grin. "I'm not letting it go that easily. Are you going to tell me why you jumped? Or do I have to press some buttons?"

"Do I look like an elevator to you?" she sneered defensively. "You can't press any 'buttons' on me and randomly expect me to open my 'doors' and give you answers!"

"Dude, you took that statement way too seriously."

"Shut _up_."

"No, Vesper, because I want to know." Gar reaffirmed his concern. "I care about you. Why'd you be so..._not_ you?"

Vesper sighed and leaned into her lap, placing her hands over her face. She muttered something heard unclearly.

Gar leaned over. "What?"

"I said, I don't know." She looked up at him with sullen eyes. He, although affected slightly by the saddened visage of his female friend, was not so easily pacified.

"That doesn't solve anything." He pressed further. He had to know, really, he did. It may have sounded corny, but her feelings and life mattered very much to him. She herself might have not been so concerned for her well-being, but he sure as hell was. If even she didn't care for her, then someone had to. Vesper needed someone, whether she admitted it or not. "There must have been something; a pull, a tug, an unnatural feeling inside of you."

Instead of being harped on by yet another one of her sardonic, yet secretly protective remarks, he got a long, confused stare. He turned to look at her briefly before gazing back at the road. She looked worn and old, as though the many years of pain and beating had finally caught up with her. It was a rather frightening concept: Vesper breaking down and falling apart long before her time. Her strength had obviously waned much more than he had originally surmised.

Vesper finally heaved a tired sigh, not moving from her hunched position. "I – I don't know what's in me anymore. Someone new, maybe? Maybe I'm just finally going insane…"

Gar was struck hard with this last comment. His hand reached out, clasping her own cold fingers. "No. No, you aren't insane. Never, ever think that. You are perfectly normal."

"Yes…" she paused, her terribly distraught face never changing, "we are all normal. So normal, that we had to be separated from everyone else. I suppose they were abnormal, all those people in that city. _That_ city."

There were no words for her now. Gar could only rub his thumb across her knuckles, soothing her. The silence fell on them again and he focused on the road. Now was not the time to be humorous.

"Please," her voice spoke again, causing him to automatically return his attention to her. "Please don't leave my side when we go in. I don't want to be in there with all those people, alone."

His fallen angel begged him to stay. Of course, he obliged. "Not for a moment, Raven. Not for a moment."

"Thank you, Garfield." She answered softly. The car drove beside a bustling parking lot. A hopeful smile on her lips and in her eyes returned. "We're here."

The car pulled into the lot, shifting and turning around all the commotion in the street. People walked haphazardly on the drive, ignoring the cars that needed to park. Gar revved the automobile several times to shoo the idiots that pranced in the middle.

He finally got to park a little way from the back, three quarters of the way to the exit. Opening the door, Gar fixed his tie, nervousness settling on him in a frantic burst. He moved to the other side of the car, ready to open the door for his 'date', but she had already gotten out.

"Are you trying to make this as informal as you possibly can?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

She frowned. "Sorry, I'm not used to formalities. I suppose I have to try to behave like a docile girl around James in order to pull this off, hmm?"

"Nah," he took Vesper's arm and wrapped it in his. "If he's engaged to you, then he already knows you are anything _but_ docile."

She smiled weakly at his point as they headed off to the entrance. It was a large building on the water, with a dock off the back and spouting fountains at the sides. The structure itself looked to be made from marble or a stone colored to look like it. (A/N: I have nooooooo idea…) The doors were open wide, inviting guests with the cheery glow of the hall lights and the promise of warmth.

Vesper could see her breath rise and settle in front of her eyes, and she tried her hardest to hold down her shivers. Still, nothing got past the animalistic bit of Gar, and he picked up the loss in body temperature while monitoring her breathing. She wouldn't admit it, but she was cold. It made perfect sense; it _was_ winter, after all. Willing to risk that portal into damnation that she so often threatened him with, he draped his arm over her shoulders.

She shot him a death glare immediately, but he just smiled and winked, prodding them forward but stepping faster. But Vesper, who was looking around now in fear of James, hardly paid attention. She did slightly tune into the fact that she hated herself right now. Yes, hated herself. She had opened herself up too far in the car with him. She should have just kept her mouth shut, but she didn't. His methods of interrogation were no different than most, yet no matter how hard she tried not to, she told him things she wouldn't even tell a journal.

She had shown him for a moment that she could indeed be weak.

It seemed Gar didn't understand in full what he had done. Although she knew her heart harbored feelings for him, she believed he had no idea what was going on. If only she had asked, she would have learned that that was not the case at all.

"Vesper…"

Looking up at him, she snapped, "What, Gar?"

Surprised, he raised an eyebrow. "You ok?"

"Super." She hissed, returning her gaze to the ground.

"Well, turn that frown upside down, James is up ahead." Gar nodded at the man in white.

Vesper immediately pulled herself from Gar's protection. To make sure no feelings were hurt she gave him a soft smile. He smiled back.

James waited there near the doors, running his fingers over the snow-covered bushes and standing aside the other guests so that he didn't crowd them. His white tux meshed nicely with his skin and hair, and for a moment Vesper thought of Jay Gatsby, except Gatsby generally wore pale pink. (A/N: Gatsby is from the book _The Great Gatsby_ by F. Scott Fitzgerald. What, you thought Raven only read Edgar Allan Poe?) The snow seemed to melt under his fingers and for a moment Vesper recounted all the times her skin had melted under his touch. Shaking her head, she walked faster to the steps.

"James." She called to her fiancé.

"Ah, Vesper, babe, you look smashing. Positively gorgeous." He grinned in a devilish way. "I hope that dress comes off easily…"

"James." She said again, blushing slightly. "You've met Gar." She took his arm and pulled him up so that the two men could face each other.

James' façade went full circle as he let his debonair comments become that of brusque attitude. "Indeed I have." He sneered at his rival. "Well, Gar, what are you doing here? This here is a gathering of doctors and medical students, not snippy little Californians who 'hey dude' every bimbo they lay their eyes on."

"Whoa, too many stereotypes," Gar responded gaily, though his anger was apparent. "I mean, you wouldn't want me calling you a British prick with your head so far up your ass that you lose count of all the women you've whored, now would you?"

"No stereotype there." Vesper pulled out the invitation and slapped it to James' chest. "It's true."

She made to walk past James with Gar, but the doctor reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to his side. "So, you caught that guests comment, hum?" he murmured in her ear. "Remember, my little vixen, that he is _only_ a guest. I own you for the rest of your life." With that he pushed her away, slapping her soundly on the butt.

As expected, Gar sent a furious frown back to James and took Vesper's hand. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She squeezed his hand in reassurance. "The worst is over, I think." They passed through into the building, because James walked behind them, flashing the invitation. Plus, Miss Crow and Mr. Ethridge were rather popular doctors and so the men already knew who they were and that this extra man on her arm was sure to cause a scandal.

"As long as you're okay," Gar said softly to her.

"I am." Vesper said stiffly. "I will be."

James walked stiffly behind the couple, glaring viciously at their backsides. If anything, this complicated things. Pulling out a pad and pen from his coat pocket, he wrote down the name of Garfield Logan. Maybe, if he was terribly lucky, and which of course he believed he was, this young man may well have also been a titan. If this was true, revenge could be implemented that night.

Outside the bushes that James had been touching began to change. A lively green came back to them as the snow continued to melt. They bloomed like spring had come.

* * *

Lame, yeah, I know, I type a lot of nonsense and so my chapters are full of air. But I'll kick it up next chapter, I promise. And why on earth did Raven jump? What did she mean when she thought there was someone new? Maybe that person was always there…

But I did kick it up on the mystery factor. What's happening to the plants? I know, do you know? Maybe…

LIST!

Okay, thanks you guys for all the reviews and responses to the list!

Ok, whoa, we had a Mad Mod, The Mail Man, Beast Boy, Slade, Red X, Silkie, and Larry – 7-way tie. Because there were so many choices, the lists will be considerably shorter than usual, but I loved this! Y'all are so much fun! And thanks so much to those who submitted their own. Kudos to your cleverness! These few are by DarkWindingRose and Gray Rain.

Every time someone breaks the rules, you shout "Titans go!" and cry when it doesn't work

Use Robin's lame lines as a comeback to everything

Dye your hair purple and buy a blue cloak

Search in recipe books for "Pudding of Sadness"

Scream at the guys at Circuit City for not carrying rings that change your appearance

You just off the auditorium stage and land crouching like Robin or Slade.

Mad Mod

You sit very warily in school seats, very positive that there are some sort of metal arm bands ready to attack and restrain you at any moment

Your teacher hands you back a graded homework assignment. Written in red ink at the top, he/she wrote, "I'm not mad."

British people scare you, particularly if they are school administrators

People with shiny canes also scare you

You suggest that Ink-Blot tests should be renamed 'Mod-Madness' tests

The Titans' Mail Carrier

You give your mail to the mailman every day with the address of 'T, Jump City' written for the recipient (It's fan mail, doncha know?)

You ask your mailman if he may know the guy who delivers their mail so that you can meet him and bribe him to take you to the Titan Tower

When applying for a job, you write down in career choices: Mailman for Superheroes, right after 'mad scientist' and before 'alien experiment'

(Sob, so lame…)

Beast Boy

When you eat pie, you toast to Terra

You count the number of times you've seen him drool and consider that your lucky number

You flame any FanFiction writer who does not have B.B. as a main character

You are an extreme Vegan and have considered joining the Green Peace in his honor

You tried very hard to turn into a bird when you jumped of that ledge, but no matter how hard you try, you can't become that little green canary. Oh, and if this is true, I'm sorry about any broken bones that may have resulted from this experiment

Slade

You prefer pedophiles that aren't sexist, because Slade wasn't

You attempted to train an army of Lego men to fight for you and called them Mini-Slades

You are upset because there are no empty warehouses nearby

You captured your little brother or sister, designed an outfit for them, and said, "For now on you're my apprentice, got it?"

You have a list of fifty different ways for ruling the world

Red X

You're a frickin' copycat and have no sense of self

Why on earth isn't zinothium (xynothium?) on your Periodic Table?

When you took karate classes, you insisted on wearing black body armor

You're a loner because X is, and he's so cool, cuz you have a doll – uh, excuse me – _action figure _of him

You only wear read, black, and white

Silkie

You dress your cat up in baby clothes and try to feed him foreign berries

You search for Killer Moth in the Cirque de Solei (or however it's spelled) shows, believing he is there in disguise, ready to kidnap this aforementioned cat

Tried to shave your cat (Poor creature! Quit it, you horrid person of animal cruelty!)

You don't have an ant farm, but a caterpillar farm

Larry

No, the school professors do NOT have clone machines in the back closet

Dressed the same cat as above in the same clothes as you, just so he looked like your little, hairy twin (He only has fur because he is from another dimension, you see)

Banged your pointer finger and broke it in hopes of disturbing time and space

You have your own little alien name that you use in secret

You, too, are a frickin' copycat and have no sense of self

That's all I have! I made them up on the spot. If they are ridiculously stupid and make no sense whatsoever, then bitch-slap me and tell me they're crap. I'll cry, thank you for the 'constructive criticism' and will return to typing the next chapter.

If I actually pulled through this time, we can go another round and I can do some more lists. So vote, if you wish!

Isaac out.


	9. His Secrets

Free-Desert-Wind – You are my reviewer goddess! I'm especially sad about my trip to Germany cuz I enjoy writing and hearing your heartfelt reviews. I'm glad you say I make them real. That's the ultimate compliment. You make writing this a whole new level of fun. Oh, and about James? He may in fact be gifted…

TDG3RD – You'll see, you'll see! Yeah, don't worry; he'll get what's coming to him _for sure_.

Catastrophe is me – Don't kill me! Here's another chappie, all for you. I'm a brilliant mind? Ah, I wuv you!

White Raven – Glad to hear you think they were good! I was kinda worried…

Scathac's warrior – Don't worry, she isn't suicidal. And wow, you hate James as much as I do, if not more.

Dancingirl3 – Thank you, m'dear, come again!

Robyn J. – Of course, three lists coming right up! And don't feel bad, cuz corny – in this case – is good! James is something. Yes, definitely something…

DarkElf6 – BOO-_YA_! And yes, you can be calm…like the calm before the earth-shattering storm…(lol)

Disclaimer: If I say I don't own it, will you give me a cookie?

* * *

Ch. 9: His Secrets

Vesper Crow and Gar Logan felt their eyes grow wide as they came to stand at the landing of the staircase leading into the ballroom. The colors and climate were as expected, but it was the sheer amount of energy, people, and blatant display of wealth that threw them off. The carpets and curtains were dark crimson while the chandeliers, silverware, and candles decking the tables were gilded and maybe even real gold. The two of them weren't sure. As for the furniture, it was a deep, rich mahogany. The chair seats were padded with comfortable red cushions. Buffet tables stretched against the back wall, and to the right between two windows in their own wide spot, were many plush couches, invitingly luring the guests to sit and talk on them. On the left side was a strings foundation, playing a slow melody from Mozart. Four great pillars stretched their trunks high to the luminous ceiling, all of which were designed to mirror Greek architecture.

People gathered in little groupings, about two hundred or so persons in total. Not all of them were doctors or nurses, of course, but family members, significant others and friends. The women all surprised Vesper. Seeing them everyday in their worker's garments, sometimes covered in blood or other body fluids and carrying stethoscopes and band-aids, then watching them walk and talk like actual ladies was quite a change. Many wore blues and greys and whites for the winter. Some who thought rather highly of themselves wore fiery reds and passionate yellows. The older women wore simple business gowns with nice jackets and broaches. The men, on the other hand, wore not such a colorful array of gowns. Most stayed safely in black. But a few, like James, dressed in white.

None, she thought, looked as handsome as Gar, but she wasn't so sure she looked as good to him as some of those other women.

"Hey," he nudged her shoulder as he advanced down the steps with her. "Don't be embarrassed. You look better than all the other women put together."

She sent him a disbelieving stare. "You're just trying to make me feel better."

"No, no!" he squeezed her hand. "I meant ever word. You are the most beautiful girl here."

"Don't you forget, _sir_," James' menacing voice murmured behind them. "That while she is the most beautiful girl, she's _my_ beautiful girl."

"You keep telling yourself that." Gar replied without turning around.

James hissed a multitude of obscenities under his breath. He knew he was already getting stares and rumors were brewing about Vesper's new date. That boy was a problem and had to be gotten rid of.

At the end of the stairs, James turned the corner, leaning against a pillar. Pulling out his cell, he pressed a short phone number and waited as it rang. As he did so he watched the new 'couple' from the corner of his eye.

The phone clicked. "Ethridge," a male voice crooned slowly and darkly on the other end of the phone. "How is progress?"

"We've come across a problem," James said, a little afraid and a little angry. "It seems she's found ways to elude my presence."

"You know we can't have you lose sight of her, Ethridge," the voice said a bit sharply. "What is she doing that's causing you problems?"

James sneered. "It seems she's found herself a new toy. She's been rather close with a young man lately. She brought him here tonight. I think he may also be a titan."

There was a long pause on the other end. James had almost thought that he had hung up. "Another titan, hmmm?" the man mused. "Which one?"

"The green one. The beast." James answered darkly. "The one who was closest to _her_."

"Ah, I see, the one who had her heart for that short time," the voice said, slowly, so slowly it was almost a slur. "Then do what hurts Raven best. Turn him against her. The witch hurt your heart. Hurt hers."

"But how do I turn him against her?" he asked eagerly.

"My good man," the voice said. "I leave that to you. Turn Beast Boy against Raven. Hurt her where it hurts most. Do it….for your _sister_."

And the line went dead.

* * *

Vesper saw another young woman in black standing near a table full of young adults. The lady's ash blonde hair was pulled up into a loose design and her red dress was rather flaunty. Eagerly, the violet-eyed girl tugged Gar to her friend.

"Loraine!" she cried out.

The woman known as Loraine looked in the direction of her friend and broke into a wide grin. "Vesper, sweetie! Oh, you look divine!" They hugged informally, which surprised Gar. Had Vesper truly moved on and grown since the splitting?

"Loraine, it's good to see you." She said again. "How are the children?"

"Ah, fine as ever, I'm sure," Loraine answered. "The babysitter's being paid well. She earns every penny, taking care of those rascals. Now, where's the beau?" She gazed around for James. But her eyes landed on Gar. "Ooh, forget the beau, who's this hunk?"

Vesper rolled her eyes. "His name is Gar. But you leave him. You're a married woman."

"Yes, who just happens to be planning for a divorce behind her husband's back." Loraine sniffed. "But it looks like _you're_ playing the field, Vee. What would James think? Where is he?" Vesper couldn't argue that Gar was not her romantic partner, because the woman continued to blabber. Loraine began to gaze around, but grew bored immediately. "Eh, I don't feel like hunting down the drama. I'll wait till it comes to you." And so Loraine held out her hand to Gar. "Nice to meet you, Gar."

Gar took it and shook. "Nice to meet you too, umm, Loraine?" He looked at Vesper for an answer.

So she answered quickly: "Loraine Carrington, MD. She's been working at the hospital for twelve years. She was the one who actually got me a job at Little Brook."

"It's amazing, isn't it," Loraine smiled in a way that crinkled her nose. "I don't know what on earth possessed me to take this girl here in. Maybe it's the hair. I don't understand why you dye it, Vee. I'm sure you were a lovely brunette."

Gar couldn't help but smile at this comment. "Heck, I've known her even longer than you and I still haven't seen it in any other color."

"Really, now?" Loraine's eyes lit up. She looked like a gossip columnist. (A/N: I get that same look, too, when I catch on to something. I'm so thrilled! Next year I'm going to be columnist for my school paper! Yay!) She turned her head to Vesper. "So you've known this handsome devil for how long?"

"Since we were teens," Vesper said.

"Well!" Loraine looked almost giddy. "Isn't that exciting? Say," she asked him, "when you two were younger, did you ever think Vee here would be a psychologist?"

"Actually, I thought she was a psychiatrist." Gar said.

"Therapist." Vesper said abruptly. "I prefer therapist."

"Yes." Loraine said curtly and in a tone uninterested. She paused. "So, when you were younger, were you two…umm…involved?"

Gar and Vesper both looked at each other and turned a spot of red. Seeing the blush on their cheeks and then watching as they immediately turned away from each other, Loraine put two and two together.

"Ah, I see," she said, her voice growing mischievous. "Did you lose your virginity to each other?"

A wine glass a few feet behind them on the table noticeably cracked. Gar and Vesper went wide-eyed.

"Wh-wh-what?" Gar stuttered out. "No, we haven't…I mean, we didn't –"

"Nothing has happened between us." Vesper said darkly as she reapplied that coat of severity onto her face. "Nothing may ever happen like that between us." Gar appeared to be a little hurt by this comment, but said nothing.

"Oh," Loraine's face fell. "Well, that's a shame. So, Gar, since you're not 'with' Vee tonight, you could join me out in the greenhouse later. It's open in the backyard, you know. Not very many people go in it when it's late…"

Gar was still a bit shocked, so it took him a moment to reply. "We'll see, Loraine. Maybe later, okay?"

Loraine winked. "Whatever you say, cutie." And she sauntered off.

The moment she was out of earshot, Gar grabbed Vesper's wrist, tugging her to him. "What was _that_?" he snapped softly yet forcefully.

"What was what?" Vesper asked, almost innocently, but it was her flat tone that gave away her sardonic mood. She didn't appreciate being touched by him in this manner, but he was a man, and she shouldn't have expected anything nicer. "What, did you want Loraine to bother us all night about our personals? I just helped you out." She paused poignantly. "This is the part where you realize you're supposed to be grateful."

He rolled his eyes. "Vesper, don't you be pulling those guilt trips on me. That woman will be hounding me all night now!"

"No she won't." She said.

He blinked. "Wait, did I miss something?"

"Yeah, actually," Vesper pulled her arm away. "Mr. Carrington just came out of the ladies' room with lipstick on his collar. She's going to forget all about you tonight after she sees him." She stared sharply at him. "_Now_ will you apologize?"

He indignantly folded his arms across his chest. "No, I don't think so."

Vesper looked to the ceiling with a '_why me?_' expression in her eyes. "Fine, be that way. But I'm going to make my rounds and then head off for a less crowded corner."

Gar didn't seem to understand. "Why would you want to hide?"

"Not hide." She corrected him. "Just reserving myself."

"Which is code for 'hide'." He said. "I said I was going to stay by your side, so now we _both_ have to make sacrifices."

Vesper's eyes went wide. "You make it sound like it's punishment for helping me! I thought you understood." When she started to walk back, he reacted instinctively and grabbed her arm again.

"Whoa!" he cried out. "Wait, Vesper, I didn't mean it like that." He found himself staring into a very angry pair of lilac eyes. But behind that, he could see tinges of hurt.

"How else could you mean it, Gar?" she hissed through gritted teeth. "So much for spending the evening together."

She again ripped her arm from his hold and stormed away, anger still masking pain. Gar let his arm fall to his side, feeling terrible. "Ah, Gar, you've gone and done it again…."

* * *

Richard and Kori reentered the house where Vic and Bee were waiting. The couple had decided outside in the front lawn that Rick would follow up on James to see what he could find about this enigmatic and irritating man. Other than that Kori had gotten Rick to drop the topic. He would have delved deeper into the slight mystery, as he did with many things, but Kori was a smooth talker and easily convinced her husband that he was making a bigger deal out of things than necessary.

When they came in the living room, Rick smiled at the sight of Roland on Victor's lap. "You may be more ready for parenthood than you thought, Vic."

"Yeah, well," the man bobbed the baby on his knee. "I always wanted a boy. I could show him all about cars. The mechanics, the engine –"

"The safety tips." Bee interrupted sharply.

"W-well, yeah," Vic nodded at his wife's tone of voice. "But come on, Bee, think about it! We could have a mini Cy runnin' around protecting the city with his li'l gadgets! Ah, man, that would be tight! He'd be just like his old man. We could even build a T-Car or somethin'." His eyes went misty with the myriad of dreams he planned for his future with his son.

"Super," Bee rolled her eyes. "We could name him Gizmo."

Vic's 'brilliant' idea was immediately dropped and his smirk was wiped from his face. "It was just a suggestion…" he grumbled.

The red head woman put her hand on Bee's shoulder. "And the girl? Will she be a fighter of crime as well?"

"Maybe," Bee rubbed her belly. "But not yet, that's for sure. The kids are gonna have a lot of growing up to do before they even step _foot_ into a bank." She looked at her weepy-eyed husband. "That goes for you too."

"But Bee!" he whined. "It'd be a good experience for them! They gotta get stuck in a hostage situation at least _once_! Then I can play their hero! Do you have any idea how many boys wished their parents were superheroes?"

"No!" she snapped. "I'm not having my kids potentially die at the age of six because you thought it'd be fun to show off your god-like strength. Now I said no and I mean no!"

Vic looked utterly defeated. "Yes, ma'am."

"That'll do." Bee faced Kori. "What about you two? Planning on having any more little hell bundles?"

Kori nodded ardently. "Yes, I wish for a daughter all my own!" She cast longing eyes at Rick. "Is this correct, o glorious husband?"

Rick, who had sat in the still calm of Bee's storm, turned an immediate apple-red. Trying to ignore the stares of three pairs of eyes, he fiddled with his fingers. "Uh – ahem – yes, that's right. You always, ehehe, wanted a daughter of your own."

"No, Rick, I believe you have missed the understood." She deliberately phrased it incorrectly. Rick – or Robin – was very enraptured by her innocent speech that reminded him so much of their youth. It would tease his thoughts and, as Vesper said it should, bend him to her will. "You and I in the bonding of man and woman wish to bring to this world another child. A girl."

"Umm, Kori…" Rick swallowed.

"Yes, husband Rick?"

"You can't choose the sex of the baby."

"That is well, husband Rick!" Kori beamed. "Then we will continuously bond until we have a female. I will try for as long as I can, even if I at first bear twelve sons."

Bee laughed, Vic went bug-eyed, and Rick had to go to the bathroom.

* * *

It had been half an hour and James still had not found his lovely bride-to-be. It was worrying him. Either she had left with that comical freak or she had left period. This did not bode well with him. But he did ascertain one truth: Loraine knew everything. It was just again his amazing luck that he should find her.

"Loraine," he called in a charming voice. "You look marvelous tonight."

The woman graced him with a cat-like smile. "James. And you look single tonight."

"Ah," his eyebrows raised, mind calculating. "So I take it you had a run-in with my dear Vesper."

"Saw, chatted with, left." She shrugged. "All that pleasantry shit. It's a good thing I got out of there, too. She got really livid at the young man she was with."

James leaned in, handing her a wine glass. "Really? Over what, may I ask?"

Loraine accepted the drink and took a sip. "Apparently those two have some loose ends to tie up. They seem to get on each other's nerves fairly quickly. You know," she winked. "If pressed just enough, I'm sure their shaky little empire of scandal would collapse. Then that young man would be quite single….and quite mine."

Everyone's most hated British man smiled mischievously. "And did you happen to see where our dear young lady fled to?"

Loraine sipped the wine again. "Foolish girl, she went outside. She's in the backyard at the greenhouse." The woman grabbed a red rose from the nearby table décor. "Here. Go woo your woman, Mr. Ethridge."

* * *

Ah, how lovely, a chapter come and gone!

But I have severely depressing news. Alas, pelt me with your rotten fruit. I am going to Germany this time next week and shall be gone a full seven weeks. I may update not at all, or if I do, but once. If I do update, I will be unable to personally reply to reviews, but I want y'all to know that I wuv ya and I will reply later on, I swear!

But let us not dwell on such sad thoughts. I'm not dying so it means I shall continue this. Have faith!

Now, to some more lists…

These three for my dear Robyn J. :

Raven

Although your father is the nicest possible man in the world, you're still absolutely certain that one day he will use you to take over the world

In the cosmetics aisle in the store you can't find purple contact lenses or purple hair coloring no matter how thoroughly you search

You avoid the sun. Period

You create massive amounts of damage (on what that is, that's your choice) and when you get in trouble for it, you say you're just misunderstood

You go into furniture shops and mall shops 'testing' their mirrors. Thus far none are portals to anywhere

You search your bloodline, but nowhere in there is any ancestor that's anything but human. Face it: you're 100 normal and that makes you irritable

You take long pauses during conversations and whisper to yourself like you're talking to your emotions. This just freaks people out, honestly

Starfire 

You learned Russian, but you slanged it with German, Dutch, and Slavic to make it sound especially Tameranian

You get in trouble in school for wearing really short, purple skirts and exposing a bare midriff (girls AND boys!)

You and your friends celebrate Blorthog (Is that it? I have noooo idea whatsoever…) even though they have no clue as to where this holiday originated

You are awaiting your stage in the Tameranian life cycle in which you acquire the same side-affects that your beloved Starfire had

Calling people 'friend!' is normal for you even if it isn't for them

Are suspecting that someday your parents will be arranging your wedding

You know a boy in school named Robin, but he isn't raven-haired, handsome, wise, OR obsessive compulsive! Still, he's the best you've got, so you stalk him (now that one was for girls only, unless male viewers have some different preferences)

Beast Boy

People don't understand what you mean when you say, "But I've BEEN most of those animals!"

A moped is the only way to roll these days. Screw the corvette. Think compact and breezy

It's your solemn goal in life to fumble over feelings towards a certain mysterious girl but to flub it up on a blonde instead

The TV is God

You took a green highlighter to your skin

You've tried to make Stankball an official sport

You are TOTALLY into the whole opposites attract thing. That same mysterious girl is the one for you. She just doesn't know it yet

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyeah… ((XD))

Take care, all! I shall return soon!

Isaac Out!


	10. Roses Scatter To The Lawn

HI! I'm home, I'm home, I'm home! (does crazy dance) Yay! Germany was a fun place! I've never shopped so much in my life. I bought a lot of nice things, but for someone who doesn't shop that often, it was really, really weird. The town I was in is called Forrcheim and it's in Bavaria. The town celebrated its frigging 1200th birthday! OMGoodies, that is OLD. But it's so beautiful! I've never felt like more tranquil and at calm than I felt when I was there. I also missed a lot of TT episodes, so I don't know how 'The End' or any of the other shows were. So if I boo-boo and flub any information, please tell me! Yet here I am, ready to give you chappie number 10! Roll the tape – after thank yous and disclaimers…

Jimmy the Gothic Egg – A hatchet…that's something to think about… I'm more of an arsenic / strangling girl, myself…

starfire0639 – Yay! This boy you know sounds rather cute, indeed! He sounds like one awesome friend.

DarkWindingRose – Thankies! Germany was a blast, but I'm soooo happy to be home. I spent seven weeks in school there…. Good lordy… That's almost two months longer than everyone else… ('weeps', I missed half my summer!)

Free-Desert-Wind – I swear you are like the coolest person alive… Time for Harry Potter talk: I like the way you see a connection like that! It makes me happy, cuz I loooove HP. Good books, good movies, it all rocks! But I have to admit that even after I read the sixth book, I still like Snape. I think the poor guy is misunderstood and we have yet to see all of his surprises. I think Lockhart was funny as heck and I hope Rita Skeeter someday gets squishied. About your criticism on my Author's Notes, I totally agree. I can't help it; sometimes I'm such an extrovert and I can't hush it. Thanks so much for the constructive analyzing and for pointing it all out. Plus, I even looked up British slang on the internet…I can't believe half of it, it's so weird! Try it, you'll get a laugh.

RavenluvsBB – Will they make up in time? I don't know; I hope they do.

Kazzy103 – I'm glad you like the humor! Humor is essentially my essence and I HAVE to have it in a story or I bore everyone including myself. On with the James bashing!

VIVACIOUSxx – You nailed it! But shhhh…. (wink, wink)

dancingirl3 – I hope that portal transported you somewhere safe and that you managed to snag a bite to eat while you were there! We wouldn't want you to starve while in hiding. BB/Rae, indeed, indeed!

Robyn J. – I love the enthusiasm! Loraine – eh, I love the girl, but she ticks me off, too. We must see what her next move is, oh dear. I'm glad my story was worth the wait. You and the others make it exciting to write it. Germany was grand! But I went to school there so I almost died…of boredom, that is.

catastrophe is me – Sure, I'll have those lists for you next chappie! It made me happy when you said it was in character. I was afraid I'd lose the characters in the drama… Rock on!

Purpurroter Schatten Drache – Here's a new one!

BBlover – The ring thing…I didn't think of that! You're great! I HAVE to keep that in mind, definitely! Thank you!

charmed1JOAgurl – Lol, I believe James is past wooing and his true intentions will come forth. Will he die, though? Will he? And shall they fight? Oh, surely, they will soon!

Chibi Scooby – I'm glad it was worth the curiosity and the read!

MiSs JoVaNNa – Heh, yeah, it's Vesper, but it'll change back over time. We all love Raven!

DarkElf6 – Lmao! It's not like I'm timing you, honey! I'm very honored you love it, Schatz! I'll have to review yours as soon as your 'partner in crime' returns to his computer!

Only-getting-darker – Jinaveast? Lol! You wish for a list on Raven? Okay, then, next chappie, I promise, cross my little, black heart! You rock, too, m'dear!

Shadow and Nightmare – Wow, you guys are a horde of spitfire! Yes, I have been informed that Mr. Robin's true name is indeed Dick, and as soon as I figure out how – because I don't know anything about computers – I'll change all the chapters so his right name is there. I'm not one for begging, and I really don't want to die, and I'd offer sugar as some form of peace treaty but I think you already have enough…so I offer balloons. Do you like balloons? I love balloons… And, awwww, I like Cyborg! Oh, well!

But one more thing, everyone: I'm getting news that writers are NOT allowed to reply to reviews. Is this a rumor? I hope that's all it is. I like talking to y'all.

Disclaimer: I don't believe in owning things…Not TT and not _The Inferno_ by Dante Alighieri

* * *

Ch. 10: Roses Scatter to the Lawn

Half-an-hour had passed and Gar sat there, wallowing and recapping his ten-second fight with Vesper. She had stormed off quickly, much faster than usual. She always ran away from her problems. But at the speed of a moody bullet she scrammed, leaving him in the wake of confusion and aggravation.

After a long time of looking at his hands, which were perfectly 'normal' shades – this he was still not used to – he gazed up and around the colossal, striking ballroom. It was then he noticed the shark-like, determined approach of Loraine, hips swaying and eyes glinting. Gar hopped up to stand so fast he almost tumbled back into his seat. Bearing the biggest fake grin he could muster, he welcomed her warmly.

"Hey, Loraine, what's up?"

"As of now, the population in the greenhouse," Loraine grinned mischievously, her comment eliciting a raised eyebrow from the hero incognito.

"Why, you still haven't found your husband?"

It was innocent question, but it still had Loraine doing a double-take. "Beg pardon?"

"Umm, you know, your husband?" Gar blinked, bemused. "The man you're married to."

"Oh, cutie, I knew what you were talking about." Loraine grinned, catlike expression returning readily. "But I really don't know where on _earth_ that man is. Would you blame me? Would you remain with the one person who hurt you more than anything else?"

He could tell she was playing the victim and that all that was spewing from her mouth was complete and utter eloquent tripe. Still, that last question was a homerun strike to the heart. He thought of Vesper and how much agony she put him through sometimes; of the youth they had shared and all the chaos she had advertently _and _inadvertently caused; of the moments he believed she had finally developed into the woman everyone hoped she would admit to being inside. It was impossible to say how she felt about him, for as much as she didn't want to confess, she was just like most girls, trying a man on for size, and if she didn't like what she saw, she would be prepared to drop him in a heartbeat. But there was something to her that most women did not have. It was a piece of goodliness that made her thoughts a bit wiser, her heart a bit deeper, her wounds a bit deadlier, and her fears a bit more realized. No matter how much she hurt him, somehow Gar knew, he believed, he _had seen_, she never meant to make him suffer.

"Yes." He answered Loraine determinedly after a long moment of pensive silence.

Loraine's brows furrowed and head cocked curiously as she tried to process this. "Yes? You'd stick with this person? The one person who could leave you alone and afraid and without hope forever?" Her voice had grown a bit high-pitched and whiny towards the end as she put her hand to her breast, reacting as though she was a super-computer who couldn't handle the simplest, yet most challenging code ever programmed into her. "Do you know what it is to be left behind?"

Her questions were a universal inquiry. Everyone alive had been hurt by someone else and left to wander in personal misery. But under the tone of her interest, he knew she was talking about herself. She was trying to get him to pity her! Gar grinned inwardly. He may not have been the smartest of the group when he was a kid, but it didn't mean he hadn't caught a bit of streetwise from California. Loraine was no better than a whore with her own agenda.

"Yup." He said with a lopsided grin, toying with her more than he was earlier. He had the upper hand. "I mean," he shrugged, "you can depend all you want on the person you love and they can leave you, but isn't it weakness to just wallow? You have to be a fighter!" He punched her shoulder playfully and she gave a little jump. "Right, slugger?"

Loraine was as distraught as she could possibly fathom. "I – I don't agree!" Trying a more personal approach, she swung her arms around him, for clearly her other technique had gone south. "My husband is such a bastard! I loved him and he used me! I don't know if I'll _ever_ recover!" She pulled back, gave him pouty lips, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Please help me get over him. I just want to forget him. Help me be strong!" And her hand slid down his back to his butt, squeezing it softly.

Gar felt himself tense. Patting the sleazy woman on the back, he reached for a wine glass – for she had just finished her third one – and handed it to her. "You want help?" he asked, giving her the most attractive, alluring expression he knew. "I'll help you."

Smiling like the vixen she was, Loraine took the proffered glass and downed it.

* * *

Vesper didn't understand people sometimes, wealthy or dirt poor. Who the hell opened their greenhouse at the end of December? Clearly humans weren't the wisest dominant species she had ever encountered. Still…it was still nice and quiet. And the last intrusive couple left two minutes ago. Maybe she could even meditate here…

Dropping her coat, she sat down on the floor, surrounded by all sorts of foreign fauna and flora, the lights overhead dim, but the room still fairly warm. It had to be warm, otherwise the plants would die. She noted that there were several heaters scattered throughout the see-through building. She wanted to hover and levitate; wrapped in the false warmth and true greenery, but her dress wouldn't allow it. So she sat, crossing her legs, and let herself sink once again into her haven, departing from the harsh bitterness that the real world instilled upon her.

But instead of escaping the problems that plagued her, she seemed to feel herself running towards them. Vesper fell into a dream – or possibly, a vision. Knowing that she had no choice, she followed the black path.

_The thorns from the plants on either side of her tore at her legs, ripping off her skin and letting blood flow down her calves and bare feet. The path wavered, changed, constantly shaking like it stretched across an earthquake. As she ran, she felt herself trip, like she was drunk and unable to keep her balance. Vesper's head screamed for stillness and her body screamed for stability, but she continued forward, letting the plants stab her and the world to spin. It felt like the path went on for miles and she could see shadows behind the pointing vines, the fragments of faces and the eerie glow of demonic eyes watching her. So intent on trying to discern these twisted faces, Vesper didn't see the vine stretch out before her, gripping her ankle and tripping her. She tumbled, landing on her stomach, gasping for breath._

_Catching a few heaves of air, she looked up to see how much farther she had to run. It was that moment she realized the world had stopped shaking. Before her loomed a large tower. It was structured like a medieval stone fortress. Vesper climbed to her feet, staring in awe at the tower. The sky above it was black and thundering and streaks of lightening interfered in the steady dark. The structure itself was also ominous and omnipotent, but it was summoning her. She walked to it, taking another deep breath, then coughed violently at the disgusting smell that invaded her sense. The vines of the path had all sprouted roses. But these roses…they smelled horrible! She could almost see the fetid stench wafting from the plants. Putting her hand over her mouth, she continued to run to the tower._

_Darting up the steps, the smell ensued, but she ran on, trying to reach the end of the vision at rapid speed. The spiral staircase took her ever upwards until her head was again swimming with dizziness and nausea. With no windows or openings in the wall she had no idea how high she was. But she saw a light ahead, floors above her, bending around the turning staircase, flowing down to her. She climbed with more determination, legs pumping and throbbing from the wounds, and she reached it. Vesper reached a landing and ahead of her was a closed door. It was wooden and moldy, but she could see words etched into the planks of the door. She read it._

_I AM THE WAY INTO THE CITY OF WOE._

_I AM THE WAY TO A FORSAKEN PEOPLE._

_I AM THE WAY INTO ETERNAL SORROW._

_SACRED JUSTICE MOVED BY MY ARCHITECT._

_I WAS RAISED HERE BY DIVINE OMNIPOTENCE,_

_PRIMORDIAL LOVE AND ULTIMATE INTELLECT._

_ONLY THOS ELEMENTS THAT TIME CANNOT WEAR_

_WERE MADE BEFORE ME, AND BEYOND TIME I STAND._

_ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE._

_She had seen that before! It had been a book that she had seen in the library! Then she remembered. That book had been titled The Inferno and it had been written by a man named Dante in the 1300's. That writing had been the inscription on a large piece of stone that stood before Hell. Vesper's eyes went wide with renewed fear. Was she entering into the Underworld? What waited for her beyond this door?_

_Well, there was only one way to find out._

_Taking a deep breath, she pulled open the door. There lay out before her in a world of white, black, and grey, a graveyard. The tombs rose high from the grey, sodden earth like judges over treacherous spirits, spilling over the hills that rose in the distance and the weedy ground before her. The trees were twisted and deformed, hunched over and hulking, dead. She felt as though she had walked into a silent film from the 1900's. The mist was thick and stuck to her dress and wetted her hair. The air was thick and humid, yet chilling._

_She walked into this world, then realized this place was geographically incorrect. There couldn't be a graveyard at the top of the tower. Something wasn't right – _

_Spinning, she found the door was gone. The tower was still there, sticking up like a bean stock through the clouds, but the entryway had vanished. Vesper turned again, afraid, and looked out to the graveyard. This time, however, she saw shadows lurking near the closest tree. Curious, she approached, hoping it would be someone to save her. Instead, she found herself gazing at James._

"_James?" she asked, her voice echoing through the hills. _

_He looked up at her. His clothing was completely black and his eyes were cold and icy. In his hands rested the only item of color: a red rose. He sneered._

"_Raven." He hissed. "A wretch amongst the swans. A spider in a sea of white orchids. A demon in a horde of angels. A witch amongst the churchgoers. Why do you yet exist?" Every syllable, every note, was snappy and harsh, biting into her as sharply as the thorns._

"_James," she begged. "Let me go. Let me out. I didn't do anything to you."_

"_A lie amongst truths." James said. Clearly he wasn't going to listen. Raising the rose, he allowed her to stare and watch it as it died. The petals bent back, browning, then slowly, one-by-one, they fell to the ground. But when the petals reached the earth, they turned to shards of glass, littering the floor around him. "Come to me, Raven." All so suddenly James' voice changed, taking on a deeper, more American sound. The words came slowly and deliberate. "Come save the angels from the massacre."_

_Vesper gasped. "Slade?"_

_James only smiled. A glint caught her eye and she looked to the rose stem in his hand. It was transforming into a long dirk. James raised it high above him and Vesper immediately understood._

"_No!" she screamed, running to him, stepping on the glass scattered on the ground. Her feet bleed and burned profusely, but she tore up to him. Her hands caught the blade as it swung down for the young man's chest. James and Vesper wrestled with the dirk, both trying to claim rights. But before she knew what happened and how, the steel ran through his chest and her hands were gripping the hilt. She shook her head. "No…"_

_And instead of gazing into the fanatical eyes of her British ex like she thought she would, she was gazing into the terrified eyes of Gar. He fell to his knees, blood beginning to spill from his pale white lips._

_Vesper panicked, yanking the weapon from his chest and covering the hole with her hands. "Gar, Gar, Gar…Oh, God, Gar." She cried, feeling the blood roll down her arms. She fell to her knees, too, holding to him. "Gar, no, oh Gar…" _

_But only one question passed through his mouth as he fell into her abyss, eyes staring straight into hers. "Why, Terra? Why?"_

_When he stopped talking, stopped looking, stopped breathing, a scream broke free from her lungs and she followed him to the abyss._

Her eyes flew open and she stood quickly. Too quickly. Vesper tripped and landed on her hands and knees, trying to stop the world from dancing before her eyes. Bile came up her throat and flooded her mouth, but she swallowed it down. That vision – that _vision_ – it felt so real! It was so strong in her mind. She had never experienced anything so great in her life. Sitting down slowly, she ran shaky hands over her legs and ankles. Her shoes were on, so she knew her feet weren't sore. There were no scars or marks on her legs and no blood on her arms. It was just a vision. Just a vision. Just a vision. She couldn't tell herself this enough. Just a vision…

"Well, well, well, have I come across a drunken partier?" A familiar voice said above her head.

She raised her head, looking up at James. "Oh. It's you."

He scoffed. "You mustn't be that drunk; you still aren't that eager to see me."

"I'll never be eager, James." Vesper tried to stand, but his hands grabbed her arms and he hoisted her up. She pulled back from his grip. "Thank you." Taking a step back, she continued: "So now you've found me. You can go now."

"And why would I want to do that?" James grinned cockily.

"Because I told you to, and if you're smart, you'll listen." She replied coldly.

"If I'm smart?" he chuckled. This was ticking her off. "Love, you are the sourest bird I've ever met and tried to marry."

"Tried and failed. Now leave." She insisted.

He looked to be contemplating this, and for a moment he stared at her, watching her squirm slightly, then he shook his head. "No. I'm not leaving."

"Look, I don't want to hurt you." She said, her eyes growing dark.

"Then don't." He dropped the rose he hid in his coat at her feet. She scooted back like the flower was a bomb. "It's not like you won't be able to, now, anyway."

Before she could comprehend what the hell he meant, the rose began to form a longer stem. And from that stem a prickly vine formed, growing and knotting at a tremendously fast speed. It curled around her feet and legs, biting into her clothes and skin, causing her to wince. She lost her balance and fell backwards as the lights died out overhead.

Crying out at the fall, she barely heard him laugh. "Oh, our poor princess took a tumble. Let us make a thrown for her."

Plants from all around her sprang out from their normal habitations, bases and roots holding firm to the terra firma, but their arms wrapped her in a tight grip, lifting her upright so that she came face-to-face with James in the darkness. She couldn't move, floating there a few inches above the floor, eye level with the man she despised more than anyone else alive. Still, she knew she had the advantage. All she had to do was utter three, little words…

"Azara–"

"No, no, no!" James smiled, interrupting her. "I'm not as silly as you think, my lovely!"

The vine with thorns that had originated from the rose slithered up around her neck. The thorns dug into her throat and the vine itself strangled her lightly.

"You say one word that sounds _remotely_ foreign and I'll twist that plant so hard your head will be on backwards." James threatened.

Vesper gasped at the pain. She couldn't believe this! Her ex-fiancé with secret powers was playing victor when she was the retired heroine! But now she knew it: she was no longer a hero, but a damsel. And she damn-well didn't like where she was now. Damn, this sucked.

"Wh-why?" she asked restrictively. It was hard just to breathe. "What did…I do to you?"

James laughed. "Yes, like I would tell you everything! Oh, trust me, lovely, things will be said tonight, but it won't be what you're expecting. My secrets will be saved for another meeting." His hand came up, stroking her cheek, pulling a strand of hair from her face. "It's my turn to be on top." The vine jerked. "Got it?"

Gulping, she nodded as much as she could. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of begging. He had made it apparent that he wasn't going to kill her, so she would let him talk, then figure out her actions from there.

"Good." He grinned. "Now–" He stepped back. "–you may be wondering how I learned about you and how long I've had these powers."

"Albeit pansy." Vesper muttered. The vine at her throat jerked again. She could feel blood running down her body from various gashes.

"I may be your enemy, but I'm not deaf." He hissed.

"Then tell me…" Vesper murmured. "Tell me about the…true you."

Taking a breath, he began. "I was born with this." He said. "Like my sister, who also had a gift. My family lived in the US of A for six years until my sister vanished. My parents were told she had been abducted and that there was little or no chance of ever seeing her again. We waited…for months we looked for her! Search parties, fliers, investigations, anything my parents could afford, we hired. But she never turned up. I didn't see her for three years.

"We had to get away after we lost hope. My big sister, two years older than me, the most inspiring person I had, was gone. She was only six years old. For a four-year-old, to lose your best friend is devastating." He blinked a few times, for tears had begun to form. Vesper, although sorry for the man, was not one to express that. "We moved to Liverpool, England. I attended private schools, kept my gift a secret, and grew to love medicine. When I was nine, my parents let me stay a week back home in the U.S. and vacation at my aunt's. It was there I saw my sister again. She was alive, had been all this time, running from city to city in hopes to better herself. In hopes of belonging somewhere.

"I spent time with her outdoors, where she helped me with my gift, but she never came to the house of our aunt. She didn't want to be seen. I brought her food and water. We talked for hours about everything imaginable. She was still my hero. The last day I saw her, she held me close. She told me that she loved me more than anyone else in the world, and when it was okay, she'd come home willingly and happily. She snuck back into the woods with a smile and a wave. I never saw her alive again."

Vesper swallowed, fighting down the wads of saliva and phlegm in her throat, shifting as much as she could in the grip. "I'm…I'm sorry, James. I truly am. But…what does this…have to do with me?" Indeed sympathy had increased and she almost pitied him, but he was _still_ holding her captive and she _still_ was inches from death so that put a damper on the sentiment.

James didn't look at her, as he had turned his back. "You lived with a detective's apprentice for several years. Tell me you must have picked up _something_. But…" he sighed. "Tonight is not a night of revelations, my lovely. I'll drop the fiancé act as you already have. I can't follow you like a lovesick puppy when I despise you more than anyone else alive. But I will be watching you, Raven. Until you learn the truth, I'll be watching you."

He walked up to the entranceway. "We'll be here when you're ready, my master and I." And he left, vanishing to the snowy lawn. The door slammed closed behind him. The moment complete silence had fallen the lights flickered back on and the plants retracted to their bases like a military retreat in battle. Vesper fell to the floor. Her hands grasped her neck and she felt the scratches on her pale, alabaster skin.

It didn't make sense. She didn't understand at all what had just transpired. James had proved to contain more intellect than he had previously let on. Did he always despise her? Was he using her all along? She felt her heart cave in under the realization. James had never loved her. He had been manipulating her. Maybe it was a sick game, to get back at her over something that apparently involved his dear sibling. Maybe it was his master who was to blame.

Master…

The only person who ever dared address him or herself that title was _Slade._ Vesper climbed to her feet in a panic, brushing off her coat and dress, and ran outside. She had to find Gar. The rose lying on the floor was kicked by her foot as she brushed by, landing in the snowy lawn. It rolled and tumbled away as the wind caught it in its angry grip.

* * *

"You're such a good boy, Gar, you're so good…"

"I'm glad you think so, Loraine…"

"Ah, give me more! Oh, Jesus, give me more, Gar!"

"Can you handle it?"

"I can handle it! Give it to me! Load me up, baby!"

"Alright, but this is the last one, Loraine…"

Gar handed the doctor her seventh glass of wine. The very drunk woman grabbed it greedily, gulping it down. Slumping over, she sighed. "You're so nice…"

Gar raised an eyebrow as he watched her sit herself in the chair behind her. "I'm flattered, but really I'm just giving you the wine so you'll pass out and I can leave."

"And honest, too!" Loraine grinned, head rolling in circles on her small neck. "Honest men make poignant men in bed. I like 'em tender!" She reached and slapped his butt for the forty-sixth time. "Get my point, junior?" Then as an afterthought, she returned her hand to stroke his butt, voice full of awe. "But _that's_ not so tender there, is it…? You work out?" She pointed a wobbly finger in his face. "Hey! I bet you're the weightlifter from the gym! I know you! You're Stan!"

"You hid the nail on the head!" Gar exclaimed mockingly. "I thought you'd _never_ figure it out!"

"That's ah-cause I'm smart like that, Dan!" she grinned from ear to ear.

"I thought I was Stan…" Gar frowned.

"Whu?" Loraine asked, rocking back and forth in her seat, looking dizzy. "Whozat?"

"The guy…from the gym…" Gar said so slowly a baby could understand him. "You haven't been to the gym lately, Loraine?"

"Nope! Not since last – hey! You calling me fat?" she tried to stand up, but her legs buckled and she fell back into her seat. "Jesus Christ! What designer screwed up my heels?" After fumbling with the dainty shoes, and fighting off the extreme sickness she got from trying to stand too quickly, she gazed cross-eyed at the young man. "Hey…Stan…is that _you_?"

Gar couldn't believe this. Was this woman drunk of did she just suffer from short-term memory loss? Sighing, he said. "No, Loraine, I'm God. It's time I had a talk with you."

"Damn." Loraine muttered at the answer. "I knew I shouldn't have screwed that priest…"

Taking this as the perfect opportunity, Gar brightened up, taking on a deep baritone. "Yes, Loraine, you've been indulging in a lot of sin and vice. To redeem yourself and regain My favor, you should confess all sins you have hidden beneath your mortal shell. But as you do this, My child, I ask that you cover your eyes. I hear it helps with concentration." He added hastily.

Nodding eagerly, she threw her hand over her eyes and began rambling nonsense. Gar slipped away from the idiot immediately, laughing gaily when he was a good distance away.

"Yeah! Now to find Vesper…"

* * *

_Roses litter the hallway__  
Their petals lift lightly to the fading wind  
The lowering sun upon them_

_She is asleep now_

_The world has let her slip away  
And once she wept upon a broken spirit _

But her tears were then absorbed  
The shadows dancing all around her  
Demons claiming to have found her  
And her little friend lights the path

Oh, child of children  
Keep the candle for her  
Now that the man she loved is gone  
Oh wisest wisdom  
Did you come to heal her?  
The roses scatter to the lawn

A day is winding into the eve  
And voices strumming around her home  
They say things that are vicious

Voices not the neighbor's  
Just that gathering of ghouls  
But at her head rests that angel

Those creatures cannot approach  
As the clock spinning all around  
Shadows filling in the ground  
And her little friend lights the path

Oh, child of children  
Keep the candle for her  
Now that the man she loved is gone  
Oh wisest wisdom  
Did you come to heal her?  
The roses scatter to the lawn

* * *

My sister thought that was spanking silly! I'm glad… And I hope the poem came out okay...it's format looked sketchy.

Lists next time! I SWEAR!

Isaac out!


	11. When Demons Wear Wings

Jimmy The Gothic Egg – Tainted? Nah! Eh, it's not so much a stab in the dark, now, anyway. :P

Robyn J. – Dude(ette), you're the awesomest! I think you'd love Germany; it's such a great place! If you ever find out about exchange programs, it'd really be worth it to try to go to Europe. Thanks for the help on Season 4. I'll figure it out. I have my sources. And, ehehe .''', I wrote the poem. You like it? When you said you did, I was really thrilled! I thought I could have done better. You toast my muffins! Razz!

DarkElf6 – Your wish is my command. You can use the line if you wanna! Go ahead! If it's for Emerald, I'd do anything for her. And you!

catastrophe is me – Thank you! Annoying people are fun to play with…especially when they get their comeuppance.

Shadow, Nightmare, and (sometimes) Devastation – Song? AWESOME. Humor? BRILLIANT. Insanity? LUFFED! If I may, can I borrow the song for a later chapter? Pwease? As for your question about guess-what-sex-we-are, I was so tempted to say you were some crazy person with multiple personalities, but…uh…I'm gonna guess girls. (flinches) Don't hate! _I'm_ the hater! You're funnier than me… (weeps) Pah, beer is goooooooooood. But: ANYONE WHO HATES MY STORY BURNS IN A SPECIAL HELL DESIGNED BY ME. DARE TO CHALLENGE THE MACABRE MAIDEN? MUA? _MUA_?

Half-Gothic Chick – How dare me! I should punish me. Here's another one, on the house! Not much of a cliffie…I think…

Fernnu – Do you know how happy your review made me? I was ecstatic! I really, really appreciate the mature and helpful response you gave me. It truly made writing this chapter more enjoyable since I read it. I hope you've gotten over your illness and are in better spirits. Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much it meant to me. You're great!

* * *

PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR ANYTHING I WRITE THAT INCORRECTLY REFLECTS RAVEN'S PAST! I DID NOT SEE 'THE END'. IF YOU SPOT SOMETHING WRONG, PLEASE TELL ME AS SOON AS YOU CAN. I WOULD LIKE TO STICK TO THE STORYLINE OF THE SHOW. MUCH APPRECIATED! (OH! AND I CHANGED RICK TO DICK! I'LL LEARN HOW TO EDIT CHAPTERS AND FIX HIS NAME…SOME DAY. WOW, IT'S FUN BEING CAPS-LOCKED! MOO!)

Disclaimer: I'm sensing déjà vu…have I not said so already? I don't own TT.

* * *

Ch. 11: When Demons Wear Wings

Words.

Words hurt us.

Words stab us.

Words run us into the ground and drag us.

They bleed me dry.

They make you fall.

T'would be a much better world if there were no words said at all.

* * *

Vesper's form jerked and shook as she climbed up to the manor, her dress and coattails whipping and tugging her. Spots of blood rolled down her legs and her dress was torn and tattered from where the thorns slashed it through. She wanted to cry; she wanted to break down and sob till her insides mirrored the cold chill of the winter air. Never had she felt so stupid, so used! Never had she felt so deceived.

Well, actually, once before she had felt this pain. The face came back, though ten years faded, staring right into her ill-starred soul. _Malchior_…

Immediately she shook the face and name away, determined again to reach the building before something else unwanted and – in her opinion – undeserved happened. The dragon-man had been a mistake. And everyone learns from their mistakes. At least, that was what she dearly hoped to be true.

Finally the sounds of laughter, holiday cheer, and expressive, chimerical music tingled in her ears, indicating the arrival of yet another crisis. She knew she couldn't enter. No one could see her like she was.

Despondent and at her wits end, she leaned against the wall and slid down till her butt was on the ground. She didn't care if the weather was harsh and dismal; it wasn't half as downcast outside as it was beneath her ribcage and in her heart. It hurt just to think about it, and that was all she could do. Vesper was in denial, and ironically, there was no denying it.

'_It can't be; it **can't** be_…' she kept repeating in her head as she laid her cheek on her knees. '_Why didn't I figure it out sooner?_'

'_You didn't want to believe in anything less than perfect, **duh**…_' another voice whispered in her mind and it startled her. After the fall of her father, her emotions had escaped her mirror and reentered her body, becoming one again within her. But that didn't mean that any of them had changed. This voice was…new. Not hers. She raised her head off of her knees and blinked rapidly.

"What the –?" she sighed. "I must be going insane. It's only to be expected, I guess. I mean," her tone grew ticked, "only insane people talk to themselves!" Then she sighed again, returning her face to her knees. "Like me…" The voice did not respond.

Silent tears rolled out of her eyes and stained her dress. Her body ached from weariness and wounds. She shook from crying and from cold. Vesper had never felt so low in her whole life. James had lied. Not only that, he worked for Slade. She was sure of it. Obviously, she wasn't entirely sure why he had insinuated that there was some kind of connection between her and his long-lost sister. If she found out why, she would be sure that Slade had planted something in the Brit's head, deceiving him as he had done many times before.

Great, now she sounded like Dick, a real class act detective and obsessive-compulsive weirdo.

Yet it didn't matter anymore. If it wasn't so freezing, wasn't so lonely, wasn't so fouled up, she'd get right on the case, calling her friends and warning them of the horrors that awaited them. She knew that the moment she said 'Slade', the team would be reawakened and many calamities could follow. What if Bee decided to team up and her babies were injured or killed? What if Kori's and Dick's little Roland was taken? What about Gar?

No. They couldn't know. She couldn't do that to them, not after all she'd put them through. She'd fought Slade before. For the longest time she believed he was dead. Sadly, it was too much to hope for the impossible. Slade would live, no matter what. It was an unfathomable mystery to her and all who came across him, but Slade was always there and always watching. It was just this time, instead of causing a gigantic uprising against her, he was aiming at her personally, though she didn't know his angle.

This girl, this lost soul, she was connected to her somehow. But how? _How_?

Looking up at the black and grey sky, she winced as snow fell on her cheeks and eyelashes. How beautiful it all could have been, had she been normal. She could have enjoyed this night. She could have enjoyed her life. Alas, fate would not allow it.

Now she just had to wait until she had the strength to go to the car. Gar was probably furious with her and off fuming at the buffet, or something. He wouldn't be too concerned with her welfare. Vesper knew she deserved it. She had been so stupid, asking him for help against her most stubborn judgment, and he had agreed! It seemed Gar was really, truly going to take care of her, and for the first time in a long time, it had felt safe and warm, no matter the weather. Vesper slammed her hand against her knee.

And she had gotten angry at him! If she hadn't run away like a…a witch, maybe she'd still be inside. Maybe they would have made up. Maybe he would have offered to dance with her and held her closely. Maybe…

Her cheeks turned red, even redder than the weather could tinge. For a little moment she let herself wonder what his lips would feel like against her own, bodies following as they, too, wrapped closely and fitting perfectly, dancing on a holiday dream-weaver's ballroom floor.

As though some sweet angel above heard her thoughts, a woman's voice filtered into the nigh air, singing an original, modern day winter tune.

_Look across the wintry fields_

_Hear the jaunty bell_

_Count the many wishes within_

_That I will never tell_

_Dearest is the emerald pine_

_I yearn to lie in bed, and_

_Watch it as I dream of you_

_And fairies in my head_

_Tell me I am your only love_

_Be with me this merry eve _

_Thank God I found my only love_

_For now, I shall believe_

_I shall believe_

Vesper never believed in God or angels. She was agnostic to a fault. But tonight, of all nights, she found herself convinced that it was better late than never. Keeping her eyes fixed on the clouds, she thought over what she would say, then spoke from where she knew best. Her heart.

"Dear God…"

_I won't forget the tender kiss_

_Placed upon my cheek_

"I'm sorry I've never done this before. I guess I never really wanted to, until now…"

_I'll think of you as I count moments_

_Sinking into sleep_

"But I'm so afraid. I'm alone. Again. And I just want to know, I just have to know…"

_Tell me I am your only love_

_Be with me this merry eve _

"…will I always be alone? Will I always be by myself? I don't want to be alone…"

_Thank God I found my only love_

_For now, I shall believe_

_I shall believe_

"Please, I promise, I'll never doubt again. I promise. I promise! Just take the loneliness away…"

_If you aren't here in my arms_

_You'll be flying in my dreams_

_It doesn't matter how, I know_

_You'll be with me on this eve_

"I don't want them to be hurt. I love them all. They're my family. I have to do this by myself. But I need someone…"

_Tell me I am your only love_

_Be with me this merry eve _

"I need to know that when it's all over…

_Thank God I found my only love_

_For now, I shall believe_

_I shall believe_

"If I make it through okay…"

_I shall believe_

"There will be someone watching out for me..." she blinked back a tear. "Thank you. Amen."

_I shall believe_

When the song ended, silence fell over her like a heavy and judgmental blanket of iron. Her heart fell as nothing happened. Nothing. Well, what did she expect? God didn't help half-demon whelps. Damn, she had gotten her hopes up for bull. Had she assumed some sort of beacon of light would flash in her eyes and some little, old guy named Clarence would poof in and say hi?

Actually, yes.

Letting out another throaty noise, this one more of a moan than a sigh, she murmured to herself, "I guess miracles have limits, too."

"Vesper!"

A voice called softly and urgently for her. Vesper raised her head and stood up quickly. The train of her dress stuck to the ground momentarily and her legs thrummed in pain, but she didn't fuss.

"Vesper!"

"Hello?" she responded back, her optimism rising to its acme. Someone was looking for her. Her! Perhaps God had heard her after all.

"Vesper?"

The figure rounded the corner, and as he did, she broke into a grin. "Gar!" Despite appearances and assumptions, Vesper had the ability to run, to smile, and to hug all at once! It wasn't that she ever couldn't do it without hazardous repercussions; she just didn't really feel like it before. She was a female. It was called a mood.

Yet it still shocked him as she embraced him tightly. "Gar, you came for me."

Slowly, hesitantly, as though he was going to hug a bomb, he wrapped his arms around her. "Well, yeah, of course I came for you. Why wouldn't I?"

Pulling back and letting go, she gazed at him, surprised. "But I got mad at you."

"So?" he shrugged. "It's kinda commonplace by now, don't you think?"

Her shoulders slumped. "You know what? It shouldn't be commonplace. I shouldn't judge your actions and your words so quickly."

It was his turn to be surprised. "Hey, there's no need to apologize! You're worrying me a little." Smiling softly, he took her hand, making her jump. "You want me to take you home? You don't look well at all."

She nodded. "Okay." She ran her free fingers across her neck, skimming the dry scabs. As she did, her jacket parted a bit and Gar could see the marking on her neck and upper chest.

"Vesper?"

"Yes?"

"What's that on your skin?"

Freezing, she stood in momentary fear, then jerked her hands back. "Nothing!"

"Vesper…" he warned, obviously concerned. "What_ is_ that?"

"Nothing!" she hissed. "It's nothing at all!"

"Vesper…" his tone darkened.

"No!"

"Raven!" At the exclaiming of her real name, he grabbed her arm wildly, squeezing it as he kept her from running off again. He had intended no harm upon her, but when he saw her wince in pain, he released her with wide eyes. "Let me see."

Vesper shook her head frantically. "It's nothing, Gar! I had an accident in the greenhouse, but it was just an accident!" If they had been teens when this argument had happened, she would have mentally thrown him off the roof. But that was the adolescent form of 'problem solving'. She had to be an adult about this.

"Let me see, Raven!" he insisted. This time he would not take no as an answer. Grabbing her coat just as she tried to duck away, he pulled her back to him and undid the top buttons. She tried to push against his arms but they wouldn't budge. Then he forcefully pulled the coat down, revealing her pallid shoulders and slender neck, all ridden with scabs and cuts. He stifled a gasp as his eyes searched her skin.

"Raven…"

She looked away and stared at a spot in the trees behind her. "I told you, I fell in the greenhouse."

"But those –"

"I got them when I fell. I was ashamed, so I didn't go back inside."

He frowned, still not letting go. "And James?"

"What about him?" she snapped. "I haven't seen him since we entered."

"Are you…are you lying to me?"

She rolled her eyes. "You think I'd tell you if I was?"

Despite it all, Gar's lip raised slightly in a small smile. "No, you wouldn't. Now, c'mon." He pulled the coat back up and fastened the buttons himself as she stood there patiently and forgivingly. "I'm going to take you home and help you take care of those scratches."

Vesper shrugged his hands away. "You know you don't have to."

"You're right." He agreed. "I don't have to. But I want to. So –" he held out his hand to her "– let's get going."

He held her gaze for a moment. It was obvious that an inner struggle warred within her. Take his hand, don't take his hand. Be a loner, thank God.

She decided to thank God. Her hand wrapped around his and he closed his palm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Let's go."

* * *

Stepping around the side of the mansion, the parking lot came into view. Since they had parked far in the back, it would take a fairly long walk. Gar used this to his advantage.

"Are you okay?"

She looked at him without turning her head. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno, you're just behaving weird lately. Jumping off buildings, falling in greenhouses, randomly throwing around emotions –"

He heard her growl. "If there's anything to be thrown around, it'd be your _corpse_."

"Hey!" he paused in step, glaring at the back of her head as she walked on. "That wasn't very nice! I'm just trying to be considerate!" When she made no indication of responding, he huffed. "Women!"

Then a sound that struck sheer terror in him pierced the wintry air.

"_Gaaaaaaaar! Yooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooo_!"

The pair of young adults froze in their tracks. Gar's eyes went wide and Vesper's back went rigid.

"Is…that…_Loraine_?"

"Ehehehehe, maybe?" Gar rubbed his arm, grinning innocently. He then ran forward and grabbed the arm of the girl who was fuming and dragged her. "C'mon, c'mon, before she finds me!"

"_Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-aaaaaaaaaaaaaar_!" Two-second pause. "Oh, _there_ you are! Stay there, you silly boy!" Loraine's figure appeared between two cars several meters back. She was draped in a heavy fur coat with spots. _Oh no!_ Gar's insides shrieked, _I'm being hunted by Cruella DeVil!_

He skidded to a halt, jerking poor Vesper to a stop, too. It took everything in his power to keep from staring at her grim and pissed expression. He figured the silent treatment was her most efficient and deadly weapon. And he was right.

"Loraine!" he grinned, turning to face the blonde woman. "Why, you found me! You _must_ be the best hide-and-seek player I _ever_ did meet!"

"Really?" the woman's eyes went wide. "I must be! I didn't even know we were _playing_! Lookie, don't I look _smashing_? I talked to Mr. Ethridge and WOW! I didn't know bout them British coloq- colloquia- cu…._sayings_!"

"You mean colloquialisms?" Vesper raised an eyebrow. "Yes, terribly smashing."

The pair could see drink poured down the woman's dress and her eyes were bloodshot. Apparently she had gone back to boozing after she chatted with 'God'.

"Yeah…" Gar bit his lip. "Well, it was really great to see you, Loraine." He reached out and shook her hands fervently. This caused her head and arm to bob loosely. "But I gotta scoot!"

"No, you can't!" Loraine gripped his hands. "You have to come in! Dance with me! Get away from this trollop! _Colloquialisms_!" She hiccupped. As she gripped his fingers, he could feel the ring slipping.

"Please, Loraine, let go of my hand!" he cried, trying to pull away. Vesper frowned, eyes dodging back and forth between his expression and his hand until she realized what was going on. Reaching out, she, too, tried to pry the female doctor off.

"Let go, Loraine." She wasn't going to use her powers on the drunk. "Get off of him!"

"I want your boyfriend!" Loraine screeched and wailed. "You aren't good enough for him! Gimme!"

"Loraine!" The ring slid off. Vesper had finally pulled Loraine away, but at the expense of his holographic generator. He saw his hand change to green and knew the rest of his body had changed too. Loraine looked from the ring in her hand to the man who stood before her. Gazing at him, she screamed. "_OH MY GOD, YOU'RE **PURPLE**_!"

Vesper snapped. She snared the ring from the doctor's open palm and tossed it back to Garfield, who stood there dumbly. He caught it, but he didn't look the women in the eye.

Irritated, Vesper pushed the shocked doctor back.

"You're drunk, and it's dark, Loraine. Go inside."

"B-b-b-b-b-but –"

"I said _GO_!" To her fear, she heard glass shattering in the distance and a woman screaming. It had gone too far again.

Loraine stared at Vesper for a long moment before she snuck back into the gloom. "You're creepy, Vesper. You know that? Just creepy."

Vesper only stood there.

Recovering slowly, Gar slipped the ring on his finger and felt himself become 'normal' again. He looked up at Vesper, whose back was facing him. She hadn't moved since Loraine left.

"I-I'm sorry, Raven." He looked at the ground. "You aren't creepy. She had no right to say that."

Folding her arms, she turned around and walked past him. "Doesn't matter. You okay?"

"Yeah." He followed her.

The car ride was quiet. There was no music, no talking, no sideways glances. They had both been stabbed in the span of moments. They needed time to heal. He focused on driving and her at the same time, but this time the melancholic thoughts somehow helped him pay attention better. He didn't veer. She didn't snap. They were a pair of manikins – test dummies – waiting for that brick wall to pop up. Her shoulders were tense and her body ached. His ears were red and his fingers were very numb.

Finally her apartment complex was seen and he turned into the parking lot.

"I'm gonna walk you up, okay?" he insisted, not really asking.

"Fine." She shrugged. Vesper led him up to the front, grabbing her keys from her purse and reaching the elevator. When it _ding-_ed and the doors slid open, she watched in relief as that Bernie man and his coworker stepped out.

"Hey, it works!" Bernie grinned. "Told ye it would!"

The other guy grumbled. "Next time you wanna test it, you can do it yourself."

"Does this mean we can use it?" Vesper asked as she stepped aside to let them pass.

"Oh, yeah!" Bernie grinned. "Hey, that your date? How'd you get down them stairs?"

"She's got her ways." Gar smiled grimly as they boarded the elevator and the doors closed.

They reached the room and she unlocked it. Standing there for almost a minute, she turned around to face him. He, on the other hand, was examining her home. It wasn't exactly the symbol of comfort and warmth, but it wasn't bone-chilling either. It was somehow just right for her.

"You don't have to help me, Gar." She murmured, placing her purse on the ground and hesitantly sliding off her coat. "I could just heal them tonight while I'm sleeping."

"You mean that trance-like bobbing thing you do?" he asked, eyes skimming her skin, watching the marks with irreverent awe. He hated how she looked scarred. It made vile thoughts come to him. If that which caused her pain was human, it would be killed instantaneously. No one was to ever hurt her. Never.

Noting his glowering stare, she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, redirecting his gaze to her eyes. "Yes, the trance-like bobbing thing." Giving a sideways smile, she let go of his cheek. His skin where she had touched both burned and felt chilled.

"Well, that's not smart."

Frowning, she put her hands on her hips gruffly – then immediately took them off. Her body hurt a bit. "Why not? What's wrong with just healing myself?"

"Because if plants caused this, you could get infected, especially if they use pesticides and such on them." He gazed around the room. "Where's your bathroom? Do you have any hydrogen peroxide?"

Surprised, for the perils of infection hadn't even crossed her mind, she nodded numbly and said nothing.

"Okay…" Garfield raised an eyebrow. "You answered only one of two questions. _Hello_? Bathroom?"

"Okay, okay!" she waved her hands fretfully. "Keep your stockings on, I'll get it."

Moments later she thrust the bottle of peroxide and a bunch of cotton balls in his hands. Then she led him to the couch. Tentatively, he sat down behind her as they turned to sit sideways on the furniture. Even more cautiously, he brushed her hair away, sweeping it over her bare, smooth shoulder. With the moon's light breaking through the clouds a bit, it shined down on her skin, giving it a radiantly silver glow. The only thing marring this perfect image was the scabs. Gar dipped the bottle over the ball, soaking it, then applied the puff to her back, rubbing along the skin.

Vesper let go of a hiss as the medicine stung her wounds. Gar retracted his hand a bit.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"It's okay. Just a little sting."

Nodding, he continued. His fingers traced her spine, marveling at her softness. For a moment he was compelled to lean in and kiss the markings, touching her with his lips and not his hands, but again he pulled back. No, he couldn't think like that. This was Vesper! Raven! His best friend and greatest annoyance. He couldn't – shouldn't! – most definitely wouldn't even dream of such possibilities. Even if he wanted to – which he tried to convince himself he did not – she would kill him. Yet…

…she, too, yearned for a bit more than a cotton ball for comfort. Feeling his fingers briefly, she fought the urge to lean back into his hand, and eventually, his lap. How wonderful it would be, to have someone love her. But she was silent as the grave.

The moment the sun returned to hiding, Gar stopped rubbing the peroxide across her arms, back, and neck. He waited for her to turn around. "Do you…want to do your chest? I won't impose."

"O-oh!" she felt a bit of blush splash her cheeks. Quickly she took the stuff from him and rubbed her neck and collarbone. As she did so, she caught him staring.

"Where else does it hurt?" he asked.

"It's all over my legs, mostly. My midsection is okay."

"Can I – may I see?" he leaned over, already grabbing the train of the gown.

"Hey!" she cried, pushing away his hand. Honestly, she didn't want him to see the stir it caused as the blush burst back five-fold. He retreated slightly, but she smiled wryly. "Kindness duly noted, but your chivalry is overstepping my limits."

A silly grin split his crimson cheeks. "Sorry, sorry! Just got excited, I guess!" Inside he was rather despondent. Well, so much for taking chances, even if he hadn't consciously reached for her dress. It was sort of an instinct to take care of her. But it was more a desire, he realized afterward, to see more of her. It shouldn't have been such a big deal. It wasn't like he hadn't seen plenty of her shapely legs back when they were younger.

The difference? He never attempted to grope her – no matter the reason – in the past. This was, as she said, taking things too far.

Besides, she didn't want him to help her. She probably didn't feel like he did. Perhaps it was as he had been beginning to fear: a lost cause.

Meanwhile, Gar's comment had elicited wide eyes from the mysterious girl. He was excited? Did this – was he – could she –?

'_C'mon, you dolt, do it!_' that same strange voice in her head urged. For some reason she knew she had heard it before, but she didn't stop to think. Her fingers snagged the end of her dress as she followed her shady orders. "Don't worry." She lifted the skirts to her knees. "Just let me get the gown next time, okay?" When she caught him staring, again, but at her legs and not her face, she placed her hand on his knee. "Okay?"

Jumping slightly, Gar blinked back to reality. Damn animalism… What a time to start thinking lustful thoughts! Here she was, injured, and he was ogling her pale, curved skin…

"You can close your mouth now."

Gar shut it immediately. "S-sorry." He grabbed the cotton balls and wetted two of them. "Do you, uh, mind if I –?"

"No, no, go on." She responded, hoping she didn't sound too needy.

And he proceeded to clean and cleanse her wounds, so that when the bed came and the healing began, infection wouldn't seep inside her and make her ill. It would tear him up, he knew, if he learned that he could have kept her safe, even from the little things, and yet would not have been able to do so. Such a beautiful doll, such a precious woman she was becoming to him. When his fingers finally stopped, resting lightly on her thigh, he looked at her.

"I think you'll be okay now." He hoped his voice didn't sound strained or squeaky.

Vesper just stared for a moment before smiling. "Thank you, Beast Boy."

"Oh, no prob – _whoa_!" He clasped his chest. "Did you call me 'Beast Boy'? Isn't that title kinda reserved for special occasions and code-breaking passwords …or…or… something?"

"Well," she said softly. "I found this to be special enough." And she leaned in, kissing him lightly on the cheek. She found his skin warm and soft and he was surprised to feel such soft, sweet lips kissing him, half expecting them to be cool and tight. When she pulled back, she held his hand in hers as he rather struggled to float back down from his new and favorite place: Cloud 9. "Gar?"

"Yeah?" – this being in a dazed and distant voice.

"New Years is in a few days and we'll all be going to a bar to celebrate. A friend of Dick's owns the bar. You want to –" her eyes glowed suddenly, without the help of the moon "– be my date?"

Gar thought he had died and gone to heaven. "Yeah!" he exclaimed. "Hell yeah!"

Vesper chuckled. His enthusiasm was stirring hope inside of her. She could never remember him ever wanting to be in the same room with her so much in her life. Tonight didn't count. "Okay, then, great."

"You want me to pick you up?"

She nodded. "Sure. Eight?"

"Eight sounds good!" he beamed. "I'll get you from here? From the elevator on the bottom level?"

Vesper rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I won't jump next time."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Gar leapt up and almost skipped to the front door. He hadn't felt this good in a long time. It was no surprise that she was the reason why. At the door, her spun around and waited for her to approach.

"Where will you be tomorrow?" he asked, suddenly concern shining through.

"Work. Why?"

"What about –?"

"James? Don't worry about it. And Loraine? She'll have forgotten." Taking his hand, she looked him straight in the eye. "I promise that, too."

Grinning, Gar brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I don't doubt it. Goodnight, Raven."

Insides flying high over the clouds, she murmured: "Sleep well, Beast Boy."

The pillows on the couch ripped at the seams and exploded, covering the room in homemade snow. But tonight she didn't mind.

* * *

Okay, hi! No more caps lock here…but that was fun, I gotta admit! Long chapter, I dun good…

Umm, about the religion, I'm not a religious person. My family has quite a few atheists and agnostics in it. I go to church only sometimes, and for my best friend's sake. I'd go to the ends of the earth for that girl (Elfie! Dat's _you_!) The use of God in this story is for the holiday theme and because I still believe in Him. The song I wrote – which sucked monkey poo and was lame and sappy – was written whilst listening to a good dose of Loreena McKennitt (Celtic singer! Amazing music! Check her out!)

Next chapter will have a new charrie. She is dear to my heart, so welcome her kindly. Also, the rest of the team will be featured. I haven't forgotten about them!

And I'm soooo sorry to everyone out there for being so slow when it comes to updating. My schedule is packed like a city pool on a hot, July day. I really take a lot of care to make this story the best it can be, so I won't throw chapters out there all willy-nilly. Quality is important to me.

Lists! (Think I'd forget? You thought wrong!)

_A Day in the Life of the Teen Titans' biggest fan(s):_

(If you are a fan of) Cyborg:

To be just like Cyborg, you'd give up _anything_…(Look down. At your lap. Good boy.)

The extent of your ghetto talk ends at 'booya'

You have five computers, and on each one is a screensaver picture of your favorite cybernetic half-breed

No matter how many running electronics you put together, _nothing_ will send you anywhere in time

You call your best friends 'grass stain' and 'greasy-haired little punk' with hidden, plutonic affection for them

At five-foot-two, you quote-unquote 'tower' above the rest

(If you are a fan of) Beast Boy:

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE! ('nuf said)

You've trained your ears to sag when you're sad and perk up when you're happy

You went into your backyard after it rained and made a little statue of a girl out of mud. You claim she used to be alive

You've named your family members after the Doom Patrol and you don't talk to your dad cuz you just feuded over 'following orders'

Lucky pennies get the girl (or so you've been told) ((PS: I've not seen _the end_; I'm snagging rumors)

When faced with a bully, you threaten to go Beast on them, and it's no joke

(If you are a fan of) Robin:

Can anybody say obsessive-compulsive-possessive-aggressive?

You swear someone is around, impersonating you

You yearn – out of habit – for that one girl who is _totally_ and _exhaustingly_ clueless in your class (she's so cute, though!)

When asked, yes, you have a secret past that's sooo secret that it makes you cry, but you're a man (don't have to tell them that it's your pet bunny who perished and not your parents, now, do you?) and you hold it in

They're still impersonating you…

You tell everyone you're a black belt and that running away is actually a really helpful technique

QUIT IMPERSONATING ME!

(If you are a fan of) Starfire:

Nobody tries your cooking, not even if they're paid

Your collection of skirts is not school appropriate

Carrying around green bouncy-balls labeled 'starbolts' does not make you sweet and innocent

Please, why are you fanning me? To be the fan of someone is good, yes?

You're extremely passive-aggressive (meaning: I'm the sweetest little lady in the whoooole entire world – now **DIE**!)

In live-action role-playing games of Avalon, there was never a character from another world…until now

(If you are a fan of) Raven:

Get this frigging list out of my face NOW

Hot Topic just isn't depressed enough…

You get reeeeally angry at people, then blame them for the hurt because you've been 'misunderstood'

Your dad's almost literally one helluva guy (coughcoughSatancoughcough)

You sew hoods on your closets of trench coats

Books are sexay, mehehehehe…

Yeah, well…Isaac Out!


	12. Someone To Be

(Glomps reviewers)

catastrophe is me – I was hoping it'd sound cute! Having a sweet scene without too much early passion is something I have problems doing. I'm glad you liked it! Thanks!

Nightmare, Catastrophe, Devastation – I don't think I got your fourth stanza, but I will definitely say you came up with the last part of the song! A high nurse? Sounds hilarious already! I hate olives, cheese, liver, sausage, and sometimes pizza when I'm moody. I have two dogs and they're both basket cases. My cat has ADHD and the other two cats are officially gay. And, okay! I'll email you! Tell me the idea for the story ending, too.

Robyn J. – Lmao! Nah, 'razz' is not German. It's just me being weird. I'll teach you a German curse word, if you want. It's scheisse. (pronounced shy-suh). It means shit. I learned a lot of bad words over there, not surprisingly. I'm so glad that you love my writing! I was surprised when you said you liked my chapter titles, too! I was like, '_really?_' with these big, watery eyes. Sorry, I can't see the link. But it's okay; I'll find another way. Thanks for helping me! I really appreciate it. And I also appreciate that you understand my busy schedule. I really do like to write it, but it's been so hard to sit down and do it. And just tell me the villains of whom you want me to make lists and I'll do it! You baste my roast! You're so cool!

MiSs JoVaNNa – Yes! Yay:)

DarkElf6 – Yes, books make me think kinky things…hahahaha…I laugh as you go bug-eyed. I wub you. And I'm glad I get to go to church with you! I actually enjoy it! Ka-gasp!

Fernnu (or Fernnu?) – Oh, dear, I'd never give up on a story I'm so proud of! It would be wrong and unfair to do that when I've developed such a great connection with the reviewers and characters. And I'm so glad you enjoy it! I'm just so happy; I feel I'm a bit speechless and at a loss for words. I've read your story, too! It's wonderful! I hope you update, too! And don't worry. I'll not let this story die, no matter what. Good writing to you, too.

Jimmy the Gothic Egg – Drunk people make me laugh. So when I was in Germany I got to laugh a lot… Books are sexy! Yes! If they weren't, well, this would be one stupid planet… I promise I'll try to update faster. You can count on me!

* * *

Alright, this next chapter is…sillier than the others. There will be 'scenes' with the other Titans, no BB, and a new, little annoyance of a friend.

This new character is my darling. No matter what story I write, she's always a part of it. I make sure to include her in most tales, except for those that don't need or require her. You can give her and me constructive criticism, but if you flame her, I'll smite you.

This is a long chapter. I worked hard, but since it's out faster than usual, I apologize beforehand for the lower-than-standard quality.

* * *

AUTHORESS'S NOTE: I have two jobs! (weeps unhappily) I will not be anywhere near the computer throughout the month of December, because I will be working seven days a week (continues to weep). If it's of so much interest, I work at Chinese Cuisine and am an assistant (for December only!) at a UPS store. Since UPS is shipping, it's only natural that Christmas would keep me packed. (Hehe, 'packed', get it?) I'll update as much as humanly possible up to December, but when that month comes I'll be on hiatus. Trust me, if my life weren't so hellish, I'd have a chapter out every two weeks. Rock on, stay strong! For me! And Bob!

P.S.: All notes by the Authoress will be posted in the portfolio to keep from cluttering the chapter page.

* * *

Ch. 12: Someone To Be

Fingers thrummed, sighs reiterated, and irritation grew severely unstable. Glaring at the plant, body wrapped in a large coat, Kori had decided that too much of Dick had infested her mind and paranoia was due to living with him under the same roof for so long. As she stared long and hard at the plant, never minding the biting weather, she felt like something was awfully awry. She couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe this was how Dick felt all those years ago when Slade had been the dominant, evil force.

She shuddered, but not from the cold. The memories of Slade's sinister and heinous deeds flooded into her head. Kori was not one to hate and loathe, but she saved a special spot of abhorrence for the psychotic mastermind. Thank X'Hal (A/N: Am I correct?) he had perished. Dead in body, but in spirit she knew he still flourished. Every night she saw it in Dick. He would grip the sheets, toss and turn, and murmur harsh comments under his breath. The haunting never ceased for him.

And for this pain, Kori would never stop hating Slade. There was never any way to help him let it go. Only time could ease the suffering upon her husband. And how time had become an even more fatal enemy…

Bending over, she examined the flowers on the bush. The cold had finally tapped and drained their soft petals and when she touched them, they snapped and broke in her hand.

Hapless victims facing cruel and unusual punishment, Kori felt almost sorry for the blossoms. The bush, her favorite in the garden, was called a Poppy Mallow and was one of the most beautiful sights in her lawn when the spring came. The magenta hue reminded her a bit of home. The zigzagged splashes of leaves made her think of her own hectic and crazy life arrangement. If she ever had a daughter, she would be named Poppy.

But that wasn't the point, now, was it?

Sighing for probably the hundredth time this morning, she stood erect and walked inside. Stripping her coat and hanging it, she went to Dick and Roland in the living room. Dick was grabbing his keys, ready to leave for work.

"Today's the day!" he grinned. "Remember that loan Bruce gave me three weeks back?"

"Yes, he gave it as a late birthday gift, I believe."

"Well, I've decided what I wanted to do with it!"

"Truly?" Kori grinned, too, kind of already figuring what it was he was going to do with it. He_ had_ been talking to her for months about it. "Do tell me, Dick!"

His smile half fell and turned into one of amusement. "Uh, Kor, honey, you don't have to pretend you don't know…"

"Why not?" she cocked her head cutely. "You do not like it when I play sweet and innocent? Does a man not appreciate a docile, curious young lady under his fingers?"

Blushing madly, Dick took a moment to recuperate. "K-kori! Lay off the romance novels! My God, I think if my pants were any tighter, the buttons would pop off!"

Now actually confused, she went blank-faced. "Must I purchase a machine of sewing, Dick? Are you gaining weight?"

Admittedly, conversational topics with his wife didn't last very long. Roland giggled from his seat in the bouncer chair.

"Umm, no." Again, that little imaginary sweat drop floated near his forehead. "Uh, anyway, back on topic: I'm gonna use that money to –"

"Turn the fitness center into a dojo!" she squealed, interrupting him.

His banner of pride deflated. Now there were two sweat drops. "Uh, hun? You worry me on occasion…"

"I am…sorry?" The poor young woman just looked hopelessly confused.

Dick felt like a flyswatter whacked him on the back of the head. "Well, you didn't – it's not like – I mean, it's not your – but there wasn't – Ah, HELL!" He rolled his eyes in exasperation not directed towards her, but towards himself. "_Anyway_, back to my point, which is –"

"Dick, I worry for Vesper!" Kori cried, interrupting him yet again.

Dick groaned and muttered to himself: "That wasn't where I was _going_…"

"I beg your pardon?" Kori's face was etched with concern.

"I-I said 'I can see how much you've been worrying!'" he grasped for a rather lame lie. But, to be on the safe side: "I can see the distress in your beautiful eyes."

"Oh, Dick!" Her hands clasped together. Dick grinned inwardly. He was _good_. "I fear for her! What if there is something about James about which we do not know?"

Coming up to her, believing he already knew the solution, he took her hands in his. "Kori, I know this is strange to say on my part, but are you sure it isn't just in your head? Maybe you're just mad that he hurt Vesper."

"No, Dick, I know something is not right at all!" Kori gazed passionately into his eyes, trying desperately to make him see. "I may not know earth so well, but I know men, whatever world it is! I know she is in danger, and we must protect her!"

Attempting to find fault in her fears, but seeing none, he moaned. "Are you sure? You believe it completely?"

Kori nodded. "I fear for her life."

Pulling his darling into a tight embrace, Dick rubbed his hands up and down her back, soothing her. "You know, I'm so glad I married you. I could have never found anyone more wonderful, more caring, and more heavenly than you. If you worry about her, then we'll call her."

And Roland began to gurgle, spit running down his chin.

* * *

"Damn, I hate being pregnant." Bee grumbled in the hotel room, raising her feet high as she leaned back in a recliner. "Damn, I hate being fat. Damn, I hate –"

"I hate the fussing!" Vic cried, breaking her mood. "Geez, get a journal!"

Throwing him the most vitriolic and demonic face a husband could ever hope not to receive, Bee grumbled with venom: "If you want there to be a _next time_, you better shut your mouth!"

Vic's face paled and he threw himself to the floor at his wife's feet, imploring from a kneeling position: "Oh, gorgeous sexy wife I find most ravishing above all else, I did not mean to be so cruel and callous towards your predicament and woe! Please, do not punish me thus!"

Bee was, to say the least, flabbergasted. "_You mocking me?_"

Was he _ever_ going to be on her good side? "No!" he exclaimed defensively. "Why the heck would I do that?"

"Because I'm fat and ugly and I'm never gonna to be back in shape and you ain't ever gonna want me again!" she cried out in unparalleled anguish. Good lord, Vic's insides churned, and they were only five months along. Surviving the next four months would be a miracle.

"Don't think like that, baby!" Vic got up off of his knees and sat on the armrest. "You don't look _half_ as puffed up as you did yesterday!"

Bee's despairing face vanished and an expression of murderous wrath covered her complexion. Seeing this, Vic's heart died. Faster than lightning, he jumped off the armrest and backed away.

"Oh crap, oh crap, baby, you know I didn't mean to –"

"_Get out!_" she screeched, not unlike a banshee. "_Get the hell out!_"

"But baby –!"

Despite his protests, Bee was beginning to climb to her feet, fists clenched. And he knew she could pack a punch.

"Don't you 'but baby' me! Your sweet talking ain't gonna save you _this_ time!"

Vic scrammed, full speed, when she stood up. There was nothing stopping her now. Panicked, he fled into the bathroom, slammed the door shut, and locked it. To ensure safety – or more time to beg before painful death – he leaned against it, listening to her scream on the other side.

"Baby, don't do this! You know it was an accident! We gotta meet Gar in an hour for coffee!" Vic pleaded. He was answered with her fist punching the door. "Don't you think he'd rather see us drive up in a station wagon than a hearse?"

"What the hell makes you think I care how we're gonna arrive?" she bellowed, punching the door again. Even though he was a big man, the knocking was hard enough to jolt him.

"Be-be-because…you love me?" he asked meekly, praying it'd remind her of the affection and tenderness they had for each other.

Obviously, it didn't, because a barrage of punches continued over the sound of Vic screaming like a baby: "In the name of the twins, _noooooooo!_"

* * *

Bright morning? Okay.

Sun's shining? Okay.

Birds singing? Okay.

Apartment in ruins? Not okay.

Hey, it wasn't her fault she couldn't control her dreams.

Vesper slid out of bed, oblivious to the fact that her entire bedroom looked like a mob of thieves raided it. Her battle for emotional stability had been greatly reduced after that one fated day when she destroyed her father, Trigon. Yet that didn't mean she was safe to express herself and her feelings as freely as she desired.

For years she had been ticked off, wondering what the hell was wrong. All she ever wanted was to feel without repercussions, and she had come so close. What was it that kept her from achieving absolute happiness? The mirror was shattered, the emotions were in her head, the world was saved, and she was still blowing up unanimated objects at the whim of a nasty thought.

Sighing, her cheery mood dipped for a moment, but bounced back when she saw her dress. Though ripped and worthless, it was a reminder of last night, where finally something had gone right for once in her life. James wouldn't put her down. Loraine wouldn't piss her off. Patients and nurses weren't going to get on her bad side. Nope. Vesper was going to take a shower, put her white coat on, grab her name tag, go to the car, get coffee, help people at work, and spy on James.

Yup. Spy on James.

Stepping in the shower, Vesper contemplated her life. People like James, Slade, and her father made the world a dump. They screwed her over, played their clandestine tricks, strung her along against her will, and left her for dead. Every time she thought she was freed, another bastard waltzed in and proved her wrong.

Still, there was that plus side. Kori – who could ask for a better friend? Honestly, when they were younger, Kori bugged the bananas out of her. More than once Vesper wanted to duct tape the redhead to a rocket and send her back home. But if she had, would she have become nearly sisters with such a caring, special, and most definitely unique individual? Never. And Vesper would be very much alone if she didn't have Kori.

And Dick! What a buttmunch he could be on many occasions. But he had been there. He had saved her. And for once in her life she was more important than the world. Dick was the first to accept her for who she truly was; the first to let her in. Good in heart, he was. Not always the best at expressing it – Kori could attest to that – but he did care. Vesper knew he and her would face off against Slade together…if she told him, that was.

Another brother: Victor. The oldest. The protector. The one she could go to when she needed something to distract her anger or someone to comfort her tears. He always had a place open for her in his garage when they were younger. Now that he lived states away, he had a time slot on the phone reserved for her instead.

Luckily Bee was there to keep Vic in check. But more luckily for Vesper, she was her ultimate bottled-up emotions, I'm-so-pissed-off-I-could-hug-a-bunny-for-support-and-like-it stress reliever. Vesper didn't feel like she had to play polite with Bee. They could joke and curse and insult the world all they wanted and they always kept each other's opinions to their chats.

As for Gar…

Gar was heaven in a hand. He was sweet, cutely clueless, funny (on occasion, she would admit), sincere, protective, handsome, deep (which was certainly something she would have _never_ thought she'd say, ever), caring, and brave. He was a surprise to her. When they were younger they couldn't even be in the same room together. But it had changed. This week had completely turned their relationship around. And it was, in that way, the best week she'd had in years. There was just something about him that she couldn't get out of her head. Vesper began to think about him most: his face, his hands, his smile, his body, and his heart above all.

Out of the shower, cleaned, and dressed in slacks, sweater, and jacket, and staring at the mirror, Vesper never felt prettier. Just thinking of Gar made her feel absolutely beautiful and loved. It was almost as though he was…

…Gah! Not again, no way, no how. No! No, no, _no_! Did she want Gar to die? Did she think there was any way possible to be with someone who used to make her crazy with rage? There just _couldn't_ be affections for him! It wasn't…well, it wasn't _normal_.

'_So, like, last night was a joke?_' that same, irritating voice muttered in her head. She didn't know who or what was invading her brain, but Vesper had had enough.

"Who are you?" she cried, spinning around and searching for the unknown source of this voice. "What do you want with me?"

'_Uh, I'm the Easter Bunny and I want your groceries of doom…_' the mysterious voice replied with sarcasm abundant. '_Yum, yum, sweetie_.'

Vesper was not amused nor was she appeased. "You're in my head, aren't you? What are you doing there?"

'_Tche, yeah, like I'd conform to your commands. I'll pop by – or **out** – when I damn well feel like it. Cheerio, you fruit loop_.'

It was eerily silent after that. There was no audible sign of that voice anymore. It had left just as inexplicably as it had come. Uncontrolled frustration bubbled through her, killing the moment of euphoria, and she slammed her hand down on the bathroom counter. She heard bottles in the bathtub pop and explode, and bubbles came floating down from the spray. Great, so there was a parasite in her head.

"Why can't it _ever_ be simple?" Vesper growled as she stormed out of her apartment.

* * *

Work was busy. Vesper knew the list would be piled high. As a psychiatrist, she wasn't really required to be at the hospital on holidays, because basically if people were crazy, as they probably had been all their lives, they could wait a day or two longer. She had a life too.

Groaning, Vesper snuck away from the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) lab and dashed back to her personal office, shutting the door with irritable fervor. There were two windows in her office: one that opened to the out-of-doors, and the other next to her door that allowed her a view of the rest of the hospital, and vice versa. Ignoring the confused visage of Nurse Pinkerton, she slouched into the chair next to the whitewash bed. She always had a bed in here in case someone needed to 'talk'. She did say she'd rather she'd been a therapist than a psychiatrist.

"Dr. Crow!" Nurse Pinkerton came up to the window glass and rapped at it. Her other hand held a clipboard. "Dr. Crow, you have another patient."

"Gimme a sec, would ya?" Vesper whined, waving her hand at the nurse, her other hand hugging her forehead. "I just want five minutes!"

"Fine." Pinkerton replied tersely, her voice muffled by the barrier. "I'll just give this to dear Dr. Ethridge, then." The chubby lady left.

"Yeah, you do that."

All day she had been fighting the rumors of her disengagement with James. Of course, as expected, the nurses flocked Dr. Ethridge, cooing and coddling him, telling him Vesper wasn't worth the tears or the pain. And all day she received frowns and insults from the bunch of candy stripers that, too, were taken by James' gorgeousness. It wasn't like it affected her too much. When they got down to it, they were just a horde of pathetic humans, anyway.

This all, however, did not stop her from wanting to investigate James' activities further. At some point she had to find and track him, but for the moment, she just wanted to sit and daydream.

Again her thoughts wondered to Gar. Every time his face came up in her mind's eye, she fell deeper and deeper into him. It was probably too late for denial.

"Love…" Vesper looked up at the ceiling desolately. "Can't be…"

"Oh, yes, it very well can." A strange, yet not foreign, voice caught her ear. Bolting up, Vesper turned to see someone sitting on the bed, grinning toothily at her.

(A/N: Sorry to disrupt, but the authoress needs a moment… YAY! IT'S **_HER_**! Okay, I'm good.)

Vesper hopped out of the seat, standing before the person, looking at her incredulously. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded as she took the new and bizarre sight in.

It was a blue-eyed, brown-haired girl, fifteen years of age at most, with crossed legs and thin shoulders. Her mouth quirked up on the right side and her clothes reminded Vesper of a Greek epic movie, except more Gothic and webby. Her wide-eyed expression shook all belief that she was stereotypically depressed or suicidal. Apparently her fashion was just fashion and not such a reflection of this weird girl's mental state.

"Well!" she scoffed, folding her arms and losing the eccentricity in her expression. "What a way to greet your long lost friend after so many years, eh?"

"What?" Vesper frowned, folding her arms. "Sorry to disappoint you, kid, but I don't know who you are or how you got in here. Now, will I have to escort you out of here or can you do that yourself?"

The girl looked appalled. Her eyes had gone larger than before and her jaw dropped. "I'm ashamed of you, you fruit loop! If this is what good friends do, I wonder how backstabbing acquaintances can be! Yeesh!"

The doctor's brows furrowed together. "Fruit loop?"

"Yeah, I've called you that twice today. Count 'em," she waved her pointer and middle finger around like a fan. "Twice. Two. Uno, dos. Un, deux. Eins, zwei." She waved her head side to side in a snappy fashion. "Am I ringing any bells, doc?"

It was now Vesper's turn to be appalled and shocked. No way. No way; this couldn't be the strange, mysterious voice in her head. How could this be? It was bad enough that someone was 'talking' to her, but now she was_ seeing_ things, too?

"I know what you're thinking, and no, you're not schizophrenic." The girl said abruptly and then added an afterthought: "Well, o'course I know what you're thinking! I'm part of you, duh."

"But…but how?" The violet-haired mistress barely managed to speak. She felt her muscles constrict and her mouth desiccate. "This can't be real! I'm going mad!" She grabbed her hair and dug her fingers into her scalp as a bit of irritability floundered its way to the surface. "You've just got to be a figment of my imagination!"

"Yeah, that's a real stretch," the girl answered sardonically, bending to look around the poor, frightened woman. "Yaknow, this window out into the rest of the hospital has curtains. Maybe you should use them."

"Wh-why's that?"

"Because two nurses are looking at you and wondering why the heck you're arguing with your bed."

Vesper spun around, and sure enough Pinkerton and Blotts were staring at her sidelong, lips moving, unaware that their gossip had been spotted.

"This isn't real at all." Vesper folded her arms, trying desperately to convince herself. "I'll just turn around and it won't be there anymore."

"I beg your pardon! 'It'?" the girl's voice sniffed. "I happen to gender classified, thank you very much. So, what d'ya say? Am I real yet?"

"No…" Vesper closed her eyes, blocking out everything real and not. "No, you can't be real. It's too much. You just can't be real."

Sal looked at the nurses again. "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-and now they think you're talking to yourself. Curtains?"

Against her will Vesper went up to them and pulled, giving the nurses one harsh glare before she disappeared. She turned around slowly, leaning into the wall, not bothering to look at the girl on the bed. Denial never solved anything, she began to realize sadly. It only made the end of the ride hit harder.

"What's your name?" she asked, deadpanned voice surrendering over her curiosity.

"You wound me." The girl sighed, dramatically placing a hand over her heart. Vesper figured if the girl had been truly alive, she would have been classified histrionic, for she was so grievously theatrical. "Of all the secrets you used to share with me and all the conversations we had, I'm hurt that my name is not even evident in your memory. But," she hopped off the bed, "since I'm here to renew our friendship – I'm Sal." She thrust out her hand expectantly.

"Sorry," Vesper growled, holding her arms tighter. "I don't play cordial to my insanity."

Sal shrugged. "Suit yourself, _Raven_."

"And how –?"

"Yeah, like I'm gonna play phone book." Sal sighed and climbed onto the bed, this time standing instead of sitting. "I'll tell you what you need to know and when I want to tell you. Now…calm down, you're making cracks in the wall."

Vesper took a deep, heavy breath. Damn, she was so angry. Brief flashes of Sal's face kept popping up in her head, most of them with background scenery that looked very much like her room from the Tower. Why was this girl here? What was her purpose? Who was she that knew her so well?

"Okay, so once upon a time…stop it with the cracks; you'll make the building fall over!" Sal whined as she began to jump. "I don't appreciate a panic attack on my watch, girlie. Have a seat!"

Disregarding the black slash marks across the walls caused by her own emotional turmoil, Vesper took a seat and watched as Sal restarted her story. "So, tell me."

"Like I needed your permission." Sal too one last leap into the air before she folded her legs under her and landed in a cross-legged position. "Okay, to refresh your memory is my first part of the story. Second is your life today and how I'm here to make it all better. Ok?"

"Just tell me!" Vesper snapped through gritted teeth.

"Alright, alright, just don't poop a cow!" the girl raised her hands defensively. "Ok, so:

"Once upon a time you came to earth from another dimension. What is this dimension, our viewer audience may ask? Azarath. Yeah, you heard me, peeps. Azarath. You fled there after many years of strife and lonely in the wake of your destiny. Knowing full well what you were quote-unquote _designed_ to do, you fled, following your heart rather than your obligations. And so, earth was your first choice of haven. You landed in Jump City and scoured the metropolis for any sort of place in which to belong. But you didn't understand it. People were different here. They were acting out of their role. Women had jobs; work was with machinery, not magic; the world was developed, but in a different sense. Presidents were elected; children went to school; fashion was important to youth. And you… You who lived in a world of strict regimen had never seen such a thing. Yet you saw someone. Someone who helped you want to help yourself. Remember?"

As Sal spoke, memories latched onto Vesper's mental eye. The brief images of Sal became clearer, longer, and more precise. "I – I remember." She said partially against her will.

"The mall?" Sal grinned. "Your first trip to Jump City?"

"Yes, I remember!" Vesper's hand went to her mouth as the memory reemerged so clearly as though she was watching a movie…

"_Oh my God!" a shrill female voice cried above the ruckus of the mall. Raven spun around, panicked and defensive. What she saw was not what she expected._

_A brunette with large eyes ran up to the misbegotten half-demon, her outfit the definition of 'Goth' but her personality completely contradicting her style. Without inhibition, she pounced on Raven, who fought with every ounce of her being not to overreact or attack._

"_Your outfit is sick!" she admired passionately, examining the scared girl. "Where'd you get it?"_

_Carefully, and with shaky fingers, Raven pointed back to a dark, supernatural store a couple of halls back._

"_Whoa, you got that at Prep?" The girl grinned. "Wicked, girl. I'll have to check it out. Thanks!"_

_Before Raven could second guess, the girl patted her shoulder. Afraid and ticked off, she pushed the girl away, but she scarcely cared, for she turned around and ran back to her friends at the corner bench._

"How odd…" Sal sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "One person's moment is another person's life…"

"Don't get sentimental on me." Vesper groaned. "I remember that. The next day I met Dick – er, Robin – and he took me to the Tower. He was the first person who wasn't afraid of me, even after he knew who I was."

Sal nodded. "Yeah, he's a nice kiddo. He's kinda too neurotic for me, but he sure swings your way quite nicely."

"Okay, well, I'm not the one who married him. I didn't like him in the beginning."

"Good!" Sal grinned. "This somehow leads into my next act: your imaginary friend." Sal waggled her fingers and donned a 'spooky' voice, finding this quite amusing. "Me!"

"Okay, we can just end it here." Vesper said, standing up.

"Sit!" Sal commanded forcefully. When Vesper stood defiantly, Sal just continued: "Fine, walk away, coward! I guess I won't ever get to tell you about how to cure your issues with your powers, then, will I?"

Vesper sat faster than a cow could say 'moo'. "Go on."

Sal just grinned. "I love power…" Clearing her throat after a moment of gloating, she continued. "Okay, so you loved the Tower. Twaz a lovely place. They had electronics, a gym, a view of the ocean, etcetera, etcetera…And you liked it. You made friends! Starfire, Cyborg, _Beast Boy_…Yeah, it was spiffy. But, still, the I'm-different-and-you-don't-understand factor kept you from really being close to them. So, what'd you do? You made me. You named me Sal. We talked all the time in your room. I told you I knew exactly how you felt and you were always so happy to have me listen. We were best friends. I, the extrovert, and you, the introvert. We balanced each other.

"But over time…you became friends with them. You opened up to them; you took on my qualities a bit more. You filled into the role of a typical teenager. Eventually, I was not needed." Sal sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, now the waterworks are gonna come." She theatrically wiped a tear from her eye. "I was so alone; it was like a fish without seaweed! What's a girl to do without weed?" Then Sal paused effectively. "Ooh, my bad, that had two connotations…"

Vesper grumbled. "I don't remember you being a nut job."

"Well, that's what happens when one gets sucked into your head!" the girl whined, splaying her arms madly. "Where did you think I went? Into a penguin? What's a penguin gonna do with an imaginary friend? Rule Spain?"

The psychiatrist raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you were never this mental."

"Yeah, you were never this _nice_." Sal answered sarcastically. "So I went to your head, and day by day I faded. The last strike to my existence came with two very solemn declarations:" – and for this, Sal became severely dramatic, her voice growing frilly and high-pitched – "_I love you, Beast Boy. I love you Garfield Logan_. Boom!" She slammed her hands together. "I went bye-bye! And then over the years, you became an adult! And then you fell in love with James! But before James, there was Trigon! And guess what? Not only did _you_ drive me crazy, but your newly integrated emotions made me want to kill myself, and I don't even _breathe_!"

Vesper's jaw dropped an inch or so. "So, they're there? In my head? So, what's wrong? Why can't I hone my magic perfectly?"

"Oh, gee, you're considerate." Sal sneered. "Yeah, they're there. They just don't have a reason to merge and become one."

"Merge?" Vesper gasped. "That's what's wrong? They're still separated?"

"Tche, yeah. Only when they've fused can you control your powers limitlessly. Ya see, it's always been an issue of balance." Sal held out her hands palm up, mirroring a scale.

"There are two ways your powers are used and manipulated. On one hand, your emotions take control without permission. And on the other hand, you restrain and employ your magic at will, but to keep the balance favorable, you have to meditate. Mmkay?"

"Wow, that's…really accurate." Vesper marveled, actually impressed. She leaned forward in her seat, now scoped in the topic at hand. "So, how do I balance it so that I have complete reign?"

"Easily!" Sal beamed. "They have to find a common purpose."

"Purpose?" she asked.

"Umm…" the girl paused, rolling her eyes up as she murmured to herself: "How do I explain this…? Uh, okay…" she gazed back at the interested doctor. "They all have to be in league for one purpose. All of your emotions – anger, happiness, timidity, yada yada yada – have to all believe in one objective so strongly that they would do anything for it. Even _sacrifice_ themselves for it. You read me?"

The hope from Vesper's face dissipated. Putting her face to her hand, she sighed into her wrist. "Some emotions are selfish. Like anger."

"Yeah, you're right." Sal nodded in agreement. "And right now they're all in the realm of denial, because you are. Denial isn't an emotion; it's a state of perception. And your perception is 'this can't be' and 'I can't do this' and 'it isn't possible' when, really, it is. You just gotta apply yourself. And lucky me, I think I know to what you can apply it." The girl's eyes twinkled in genuine mischievousness.

Vesper raised her head, staring at her imaginary friend in extravagant awe. "What? What is it? And will I regret asking?" she asked after a moment of bitter pause.

"Yeah, probably." Sal answered with a light shrug. "But it's for your own good, Raven. And here 'tiz; your answer for all your worries! Garfield Logan!"

If Vesper had been drinking something at that particular moment, Sal would be drenched. "_WHAT?_"

Undaunted, Sal grinned. "You heard me, fruit loop! You love him and you know it! You just won't admit it! C'mon, James was wonderful in more ways than one, but Gar is the _one!_ We _feel_ it!"

"We do?" Vesper's voice whispered in tremors. This was too much. Far too much. Her head was spinning wildly and she almost felt sick to her stomach. Sal's presence alone was enough to send her insides reeling, but this was like standing on a skyscraper when you were afraid of heights.

"Yes!" Sal squealed in elation. "Come, my morbid friend, we must celebrate!" And the girl carried through with her exclamation, as she stood up and began to boogie sloppily. "_Uh-huh, oh yeah, go Sal, it's your birthday. A white girl's pimping her birthday_. Yo, fo shizzle." And she sat down.

Vesper just blinked. "You are _not_ from_ my_ head."

"Denial." Sal said sweetly and innocently. "You're just jealous, cause I boogie better than you. My moves are friggin' pimped." But she waved her hand. "But, anyhoo, back to serious matters. Do you want control, Raven?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, more than anything."

"Do you want to stop Slade?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to be happy?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to admit your love for Gar?"

"…Yes."

"Do you want a cookie?"

"Ye – _what?_"

"Heh, sorry, it's the lack of sugar talking." Sal giggled. "Well, then, m'dear fruity loop, my work here is done. I must go."

"Back in my head?" Vesper stood, feeling partially like she was saying farewell to a patient, but at the same time, feeling like she was letting go of a piece of her past.

"Nope." Sal smiled sadly, standing up and approaching her creator. "My 'work' here is done. I have no purpose, unlike your emotions. I served mine long ago. I have to 'pass on', for lack of better terminology."

Pang and guilt struck Vesper hard. She hadn't really thought about actually parting with Sal. While talking to her imaginary friend, memories had begun to filter through and conversations long forgotten had resurfaced. Though she hadn't openly admitted it, she was enjoying the reunion with a part of her that she had subconsciously missed.

"I-I-I –"

"I know, I know," Sal sighed. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." Then she held out her hand, less forcefully and more formally. "Second chance?"

"Of course." Vesper took the bony appendage and shook firmly. "I owe you at least that much."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with playing cordial to your insanity."

Vesper nodded sadly. "Goodbye, Sal."

"Goodbye, Raven."

And the figure began to fade, like a picture worn from time. Her body and face slowly vanished, her expression of content never wavering, until there was nothing left but thin air.

Emptiness filled Vesper so rapidly and so harshly that she collapsed into her chair and let the tears fall softly. She didn't mind that outside in the small layer of snow a few objects suffered her redirected depression. It would have been worse. Many years ago, tears would have signified the drop-kicking of some poor building at the corner of the city. But now only a few items fell victim, and that was that.

She let herself cry for a good while, not minding that she was far over the five minutes she had told Nurse Pinkerton she required to recuperate. It all fell freely and for once she felt no regret. Wiping her eyes, she stood with a newly radiating strength.

But when would she be able to snoop on James?

"Wotcher!" James' beautiful voice sang oh-so perfectly on time. "How are you lovely birds today?"

Vesper heard the infatuated giggles of a pair of candy stripers as she opened the door. There was the ever affable Dr. Ethridge, chatting it up with some young ones, acting like there wasn't a care in the world. And Vesper knew there was more that met the eye – and the gossip.

Just as she was about to slip out into the bustling halls, a speaker announcement transmitted through an amplifier above her head. "Dr. Ethridge, call on line six. Dr. Ethridge, line six."

"Sorry, ladies, but I've got a phone call." James winked at the pair. "I'll be right back." He walked past Vesper.

"Where are you going?" she asked darkly.

"Phone." He replied genially, though she heard the stiff, underlying tone. "Now, let me to it."

"But –"

"Don't be a short-arse." He snickered. "Go away."

Ooh, how she loathed him! Had there ever been a time that she had actually expected to spend the rest of her life with him? Admittedly, yes. But she continued to watch as he walked up to the phone on the counter and picked up the receiver. Yet there was something in the way he did it that made her very suspicious.

Turning around, she reentered her room and slammed the door. She ran over to the phone on the corner nightstand, and as delicately as she could, picked it up and pressed the six.

* * *

Lie in open water

Like a knife to the marrow

You're so cold

And bent like a fractured arrow

Say goodnight to the morbid lullaby

Say goodbye to the glory of life

Once you were happy

And now you've been broken

By yourself, and not me

And I'll never be

Your prison

* * *

Hello! I hope you guys liked Sal. If there was anything wrong with this chapter – anything at all – feel free to tell me.

No lists this time. Robyn J. asked for villain lists, but there are so many (villains, that is)! Tell me which villains you like (whether it's two baddies or twelve) and I'll do them all! Scout's honor!

Next chapter: James' phone conversation; Kori and Raven's talk; Gar, Vic, and Bee out to lunch!

So, then, I s'pose this is farewell for now!

Isaac out.


	13. To Cut A Star In Half

_The reason I titled this chapter To Cut A Star In Half_ _is simply this: a star is out of the reach of mankind. To cut a star in half would be to split something so powerful that it would be impossible for us to even conceive. The same is said for love. One can break apart two people, but one cannot break apart the connection these two have. In this chapter, Gar and Vesper admit their love – not to each other, but to their friends – thus the star is forming. Once completely formed, their bond (and the symbolic star) will never be cut._

DarkRae4Ever – Thank you: ) Enjoy the next chapter!

Fernnu – I have honestly the hardest time replying to your reviews, because every time I feel like I can't show you just how grateful I am. I feel that every situation in life calls for a bit of humor. I take it from my own life. My world isn't exactly wonderland. I've been very sick for a while now, but through it all I find enjoyment in things that make me laugh and grin. It's a needed part of existence. It's a needed part of my existence too. Sorry, didn't mean to throw that curveball at you. Otherwise, I'm so thankful you like my story! You make writing it so much more fun. As for your story, I love it! I hope you update it soon! Thank you so much!

Currently deceased and not happy about it – Let me start off with saying that I LOVE YOUR PEN NAME! I'm glad you love Sal! I'm glad you love all my loonies! I love them too. (Hugs loony people) I'll add more, surely!

DarkElf6 – Babe, no need to worry about the second job thing anymore. Couldn't handle it. But Neko could. Darn Neko, being able to handle everything. (lol) I'll be okay, I promise. Just…if anything happens, could you please…uh, I'll ask you somewhere else. I GIVE YOU MANY COOKIES! (sticks them in disc drive) Maiden wubs you! Hugs!

shadowstar2s – Your name is Beatrix? Get out. Man, I _love_ that name! That's so cool; I like Beatrice or Beatrix. I gave her earrings because of her wings. Just like Cy and BB wear them to hide their extra-special features.

RavenluvsBB – It makes me happy you like Sal. I'll certainly do Jinx!

Robyn J. – You live in the Philippines? (checks your profile) Hey, you do! Boy, I'm dense. Korean students, eh? That little dashed word means that entire phrase? Maybe I should learn Korean… Yes, me loves Scheisse. You're writing a one shot? When? If you already made it and I missed it, can you send me the url? I'll read it and review! Yeah, I've also read quite a few fanfics with OCs that didn't seem to work so well with the plot. Trust me, if it had been any other setting, I wouldn't have used Sal. She's a special case. I'm so friggin hyped that you like her that much! Truth be told, I'm more like her in real life than I am like any other character I've ever made or read. Thanks for the site! I checked it out; it's really cool! I'll certainly do your villains! And you snap my crackle and pop! O.o

Nightmare and Shadow – You guys…worry me. I'm not even that insane when I'm manic, and I'm bipolar. Are _you_ bipolar? Or just ADHD? Speaking of mental illnesses, would you like it if I made a fanfic diagnosing each Titan with a mental illness? The ADHD thing isn't bad. I have a friend who's ADHD and boy is he a bucket of fun. No, I'm serious. And in the bar scene I'll place your 'dashing' song! I absolutely love the lyrics! And if you sent me your email, I haven't gotten it yet. Either that or my computer is unwilling to show me. My computer is a bitch. I'll NEVER call you Catastrophe again, I promise! (gets on knees and begs forgiveness) I'm an ass, spank me! Besides, if you kill me, how will I finish the fic? There's some more Cyborg bashing in this chapter, does this please you ladies? And of _course_ you're girls! No male would behave like you guys do, and that's a _damn_ good thing. Women rule.

Disclaimer: I can't own anything without breaking it. Do you _want_ me to break it?

* * *

Ch. 13: To Cut A Star in Half 

_Turning around, she reentered her room and slammed the door. She ran over to the phone on the corner nightstand, and as delicately as she could, picked it up and pressed the six._

Listening with bated breath, Vesper took in the conversation with valid interest.

"Hello, sir." James' rounded voice said, hushed and hesitant.

"Why, hello, James. Having a good day?" It was unmistakable. The sarcastic, lilting voice of Slade filtered through, as clear as ice and just as cold. Vesper felt her insides go numb and her head swim in black pools of fear.

"As good as they get, sir." James lied. Vesper knew he lied, but she didn't know if Slade would buy it or not.

"And pray tell, James, what is so good about blowing your cover?"

Vesper flinched and she was sure James did too.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean your little rendezvous with you dear ex, Raven, last night." Slade said, his voice growing sharper by the word. "Did you honestly think you could get away with a trick like that? Do not underestimate me, boy."

"N-no, sir," James' voice sounded shaky. "I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the mission. I want to see her dead just as badly as you."

This was certainly a new side to the Brit. Vesper had never heard him so servile, so puerile, so _weak_. He'd always come across as an arrogant bastard, but now he seemed bizarrely human, especially now that he was working for someone who was so obviously not.

"Then why the story time?" Slade mocked. "Last time I checked you were a doctor, not a raconteur. Do you want her to know the truth? You keep this up, boy, she'll learn the plan and stop you before your chance at revenge is complete. These last few months with her have been petty fun, James. It's time to step it up. Do you understand?"

A pause ensued. "Yes, sir, I understand."

Slade continued: "I know you once loved her, James. No doubt she is a… _special_ …woman. But she killed Terra. She murdered your beloved sister. No one wants a monster like her to continue having what she took away so disastrously: life. The sooner she's dead, the sooner the world can rest in piece. Trust me, James. Do you trust me?"

This pause was longer, more pensive, more lost. "Yes, sir…I trust you."

"Good boy." She could almost see Slade's victorious eye. "The final steps towards the witch's demise will be set on the second of next month. Doubtless I'll see you _there_."

"I'll be there."

"Then the second it is. No more pretending, James. You don't have to feign ownership of her anymore. But Beast Boy on the other hand… Will you still have your fun with him?"

"Oh, yes, I will." James' twisted anger seemed to reform. The anemic tone in his voice was going away. Slade was feeding him what he craved most: a reason to hate. Just like Terra. "I'll make the naffing pig wish he was never born. Or at least, never met Raven."

"That's why I like you so much." Slade's voice lightened. "The second, it is."

"Indeed." James said. "Farewell, then."

"Farewell, Apprentice."

Two clicks followed. They were off.

Vesper put the receiver back, her form stiff and sore. So she was right; James was Terra's brother. He sought revenge. He sought an end to the life of the one he believed killed her. Unable to contain it, Vesper slammed her hand on the nightstand. How stupid could one get? Slade was obviously not the most trustworthy or safe person in the world. He worked for her _father_ once, for Christ's sake! And her father was a reincarnation of Satan! She could understand completely from that vantage point why James or anyone would hate her, being the spawn of the devil and all, but to trust in a monster such as Slade to bring justice was inconceivable.

So.

She sat there, recounting all that happened in the last few days:

Ex-fiancé was not only a prick, but a prick working for an evil mastermind.

Said mastermind is Slade, once thought to be dead, but isn't.

Has – or had – imaginary friend.

Needs to confront Gar about true feelings.

Can't tell anyone about following James on the second to wherever it is he's going.

Apologize to Terra's…memorial…thing.

"I need a planner…" Vesper grumbled.

Jolting her from her mind was the insistent and loud scream of the phone. Gazing over at it fearfully, Vesper did not dare to pick it up at first. Not a lot of people called on this phone. Could it be…?

_Just pick it up_, she scolded herself, picking up the receiver.

"H-hello?" She closed her eyes. Please, don't let it be –

"Raven?" a lilting female voice queried.

Vesper opened her eyes, a thousand pounds of relief washing away from her. It seemed that whenever mental pressure was overwhelming it infected the body and made a momentary sickness sweep through the system. "S-Star?"

"Raven!" the voice perked up, and Vesper had to pull the receiver away from her ear to keep from becoming deaf.

"Yeah, it's me. What's going on?"

"My dear friend, I –"

"Wait." Vesper stopped her in advance. "Whenever you start the conversation with 'my dear friend', it means this isn't an ordinary check-up. Are you worried about me?"

"You are…quite insightful, friend." Kori said, her voice lacking in its brightness from the previous moment. "I fear that both Dick and I worry for your safety."

Vesper frowned as Kori said this, terrified of what she was insinuating. Was there some sort of possibility that they, too, were aware of something abnormal? "Th-there's no need to worry, Kori. Really, there isn't."

A shuddering breath cackled on the other end. "But Vesper, we are concerned about you and James."

"She's right, Vesper." Dick's voice followed a click. He was probably using the phone upstairs in the master bedroom. "Are you two okay? I mean, what happened on Christmas was rough. Are you guys better now?"

Tears began to well up in her eyes. Her friends cared. They really, truly cared. A multitude of times they had proved it to her, and she had always believed that love was best shown, not said. But even this day, so many years later, here they were, concerned for each other like they were still in the Tower.

"Just fine," she murmured. "I promise. We're over. It's all over. We're co-workers now. He and…Kelly are just fine together. He told me he was sorry about Christmas night and that the baby is doing well." This was all a lie. A lie about a lie. She felt as low as James, and probably deeper. Six-feet-deep kind of low. But if they knew the truth, it would tear the group apart.

Dick would fall back into his obsession, the nightmares once gone would return. He and Kori would suffer endlessly. Victor would risk all he had for his friends. Bee would join the fray if her husband would. What about the twins? Roland? What about Gar? Damn, it would hit him the hardest. He loved Terra. _Loved_ her. If she had stayed alive the outcome would have been so different. She and he would have probably been married, too. In some respects, Vesper knew she could never compare to Terra. For Gar to know that she was being pulled into the ring around the sinner's death…it would devastate him. Reawaken old wounds. Pull them apart. He couldn't know. And if James was still going to 'have his fun' with the one man she ever truly loved, all would be lost.

"Are you sure, Vesper?" Kori asked one last time. "Will we see you tomorrow at _Cale's_?"

"Yes, of course!" Vesper said with mock-cheerfulness. "In fact, Gar's going to be my date."

Kori squealed. "Truly?"

"And this is the part where I hang up." Dick said, chuckling. "Are you sure you'll be okay, Rae?"

"Will be and already am." Vesper said again. "Don't make me burn that into you. Literally."

"Ehehe, bye, then." Dick said, and his line clicked.

A moment followed before: "So, you and Gar will be there together? As a date?"

Vesper smiled. "Yeah, Kor. As a date."

"I am so pleased for you, Vesper." Kori sounded sincere. It was wonderful to have a friend like her, now that she could appreciate all the years behind them. "Do you love him?"

A long pause followed. This was it. "Yes, I think I do."

Instead of squealing again, Kori said in a very satisfied and warm voice: "I am sure he feels the same, if you do not mind my saying. I am very happy for you."

"Thanks, Star." Vesper murmured. "You're a great friend."

"As are you, Raven." Kori took a breath. "Then I shall see you tomorrow! Roland and I look forward to seeing you!"

"I look forward to seeing you too. Bye, Star."

"Farewell, Raven."

Vesper rubbed her eyes, exhaustion settling in. She had to call Gar before –

"Have a nice little chat?"

"None of your business," she raised her head to see James standing at the entrance to the room. He had a cocky grin plastered over his face. Once she would have melted into that smile, but now was so different. She had lived many lifetimes between then and now. Standing up, she pushed past him, entering the hall and walking on.

"Where are you going?" he asked as she stormed off.

"Don't be such a cock-arse," she sneered. "Go away."

"Well, ouch," James frowned as he watched her turn the corner. But as she did, his demeanor changed yet again. He slinked into her room, eyes very guarded and alert. It had to be here somewhere. Ah, yes, the stand! He went to the white cabinet next to the bed and opened the drawer. There, next to a stack of medicines, was her purse. He pulled it out, knocking over bottles of Zoloft and lithium. Their contents spilled on impact, but he kicked some under the bed.

"Let's see here…" he placed the purse on the bed, digging around in it until he found what he desired. It was fairly empty, surprisingly. Most abysses in this universe were found in women's bags. It made it rather easy to find it – her phone book. Flipping open the pages, he found the number under the 'L' section. "Garfield Logan…" Looking at the digits, he memorized the cell number before putting everything back where it was. The purse was slammed back into the cupboard and he scooted out of there faster than anyone could say 'crazy ole' Brit!'.

As he turned off down the hall, he saw Vesper bolting from the room where Loraine was working.

"_What the hell do you mean, the hair on the back of my head is blue!_" Loraine screamed from inside the office, clearly still fighting the hangover. And clearly she had more fun after most everyone went home yesterday.

He couldn't help but laugh. As Vesper passed him, she threw him a crooked smile, and he couldn't help but smile back. But as she left, he dropped the smile. Raven was a monster. He hated her. Didn't he?

_Didn't he?

* * *

_

"About time!" Garfield Logan hollered as he greeted his friends.

Vic and Bee Stone sauntered into the restaurant, the wife not looking the husband in the eye and husband following the wife like a whipped puppy. Gar knew better than to ask. He had been waiting for fifteen minutes in this lovely, quaint French restaurant twenty minutes from Dick's residency for his dear friend and his wife. But maybe it had been better to have called ahead and asked if anything was wrong. Because something was.

"Sorry, suga!" Bee enveloped Gar in a tight, almost painful hug. "Had some problems back at the hotel."

Taking one look at Victor, Gar bit his lip. "I think I'll sit that one out."

"Good boy." Bee grinned almost evilly. "So, where're we sitting?"

Gar muttered to Victor as a server came and lead the trio back to a table in the corner: "And she used to be so friendly, too."

"It's a woman's curse to bear children," Vic muttered back, "and it's a man's curse to live with it."

"Ow," Gar cringed. Believe it or not, he had always wanted to have children. Many children. Of course, one would ponder if that was the safest desire in the world, especially if one had seen Gar in his adolescent youth. To see the self-proclaimed Prankster Prince be a father – well, it would make more sense to call him a Ringleader. But maturity and life experience always paved a more concrete road, and Gar was sure fatherhood was something he always wanted to live through. And – he noted with a slight blush – he knew just the right woman. If ever that were possible.

"Hey, man, you're kinda red in the cheeks. You okay?" Vic asked as they all sat down.

"Peachy like a mango, dude." Gar plastered a fake grin, embarrassed that they noticed the tinge.

"So, what's up with you?" Bee asked as she flipped open her menu. "I heard you and Vesper got together yesterday."

"Yeah, her work had a get-together and she invited me." Gar shrugged, trying to play nonchalant. "No biggie."

"'No biggie'?" Vic finally lightened up, even under his wife's strict survey. "Man, I know you been hooked on her since the Tower. Try tellin' me that you and her isn't big."

"I-it isn't, dude!" Gar chuckled nervously. "Seriously! Rae and I are, like, best friends!"

"Uh huh…" Bee nodded furtively. "The only time you use 'like' in that context is when you're nervous."

"No, I don't." Gar said a bit too quickly.

"Yeah, you do." Vic chuckled, nudging his buddy in the ribs with his elbow. "And since when do you call her Rae?"

"Since…now." Gar frowned. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you're totally denying your feelings for the girl you're whomped over!" Vic raised his voice in amusement.

"I'm not whomped!" Gar snorted. "And your vocabulary skills _suck_! What are you, sixteen?"

"And what are you? A _surfer_, dude?" Bee mimicked a surfer's 'gnarly' accent as she said this.

Just then, to Gar's immense relief, the waiter came over and asked for their drink and appetizer orders. Bee and the waiter argued for five minutes. She wanted peanut butter on her mushrooms. The poor man kept insisting that they had no peanut butter. But after a large and unendingly uncomfortable ruckus, someone from the back screamed: "_We'll get her the damned peanut butter if she just shuts up_!" But by that time Bee had done her damage to the waiter's ego, and he ran off in tears.

"Five more months, just five more months," Vic was pleading and praying to a spot on the ceiling.

Gar just tried to settle it the more adult way, though he had no clue about what he was doing. He laid his hand on Bee's and smiled softly. "You know, you look very pretty today."

Bee flushed at the comment. "Aww, thanks, suga!" She put her hand to her chest.

"Of course!" he said. "You'll make a terrific mother. The twins'll sure be lucky." And truthfully, he meant every word.

"Gar, you're one heck of a man. You make sure to have kids, you hear?"

"I hear." Gar leaned back in his seat, noting Victor's expression of awe from the corner of his eye.

"I'm sure Vesper'd like kids." The husband said out of the corner of his mouth loudly enough so that only Gar could hear.

"I'm sure she would." Gar felt his cheeks heating up again. "Can we change the subject?"

"No."

"But –"

"C'mon, Gar. It's obvious you like her."

"And she likes you too." Bee added.

"Well, it's not like you– She does?" Gar did a double-take.

Bee smiled. "Well, it's not like she outright said it, but it's very clear. I mean, from the perspective of a professional. I can see it in her eyes. She looks at you just like Vic looked at me before I got infected with his spawn." This last part was said with venom. Vic recoiled. Gar sat very, very still. Beatrice just smiled at her husband. "Right, hun?"

"R-r-r-r-right, baby."

"Ummm…" Gar was afraid to speak up.

"Oh, Gar, believe me!" She returned to the topic at hand. "You have got to hook up with this girl or I'll open a can of whoop-ass on your green bootie, you read me?"

"Loud and clear!" Gar grinned anxiously. "But don't worry, Bee, I invited her to _Cale's_ tomorrow."

Victor, who had been curled up in the corner since his wife's berating, sat up straight. "Nu uh!"

Beatrice was also pleasantly surprised. "There you go, takin' the initiative. I'm proud of you. You gonna tell her how you feel?"

Gar figured there was no turning back. It was as clear as daylight that there was chemistry between him and Vesper, not only when he spoke about it, but when they were together. There was something about the way she so stubbornly hid her susceptibility. Her pride was evident, her fear of weakness was plain, her beauty and wisdom were undeniable, and her determination to survive all made her absolutely the most perfect woman he could ever imagine.

Damn him for not seeing it years earlier.

He had seen her as something similar when they were teens, but he had gone about proving it all wrong. In some instances it had pushed them farther apart, and in some fortunate instances it brought them closer together. Bee was right, now that he thought about it. There _was_ something in the way Vesper – er, Raven – looked at him. Something he had only seen once before, years ago. But this, this was deeper. If eternity could capture her eyes, there would be a second moon. And he was sure, now that he thought about it, that he gazed upon her radiantly pale face with the same adulation. The same yearning. The same…

The same…

Love.

"Yoohoo, grass stain." Victor waved his hand in front of Gar's face. "Listen to my woman, man!" This was an apparent attempt to redeem himself in his wife's eyes.

"Sorry, Vic." Gar said to his best friend, then looked at Bee. "Yeah, Bee. I will."

"You are a good boy." She grinned.

And the waiter came back, tray shaking noisily under his trembling hands.

* * *

I am not a sinner

But I can't heal your wounds

I am not a warrior

But I won't live at home

It's a path every soul must take –

Whether to live or whether to break

And your love has given me the chance

To step outside my box

To face the world's demands

Just follow through

Look both ways before you leap

Color outside the lines

Don't underestimate the gift of your wings

Hold on to your secret keep

And in your darkest hour

Don't forget the hope that you bring

I am not a sinner

But I can't heal your wounds

I am only able to tell you what I know:

Belief brings life for many moons

* * *

Sorry, terribly short. I've been under the weather lately. I just couldn't make it to the computer. 

So, here's next time's menu: The meeting of BB and James and the beginning of _Cale's_ Only about a fifty chapters and a billion years left for this story to finish (I know, that's how it feels for you guys, doesn't it? I'm so sorry. Really, I am.)

Lists! These I am NOT sorry for! (O dear Lord, I just ended that sentence with a preposition…) Role 'em:

Jinx:

You have a thing for 'black chocolate', but the only people who hang around you are midgets

Pink is EVIL! _Evil!_ And you like it that way! You (and your beloved Jinx idol) make pink a maniacal fashion statement

You call your principle 'Brother Blood' even if the principal is a she

When you get into a fight at school – or anywhere else – you holler: "Attack pattern alpha!" Your enemies are then unable to fight because they are laughing too hard

You make witchcraft look sexy

Blackfire:

What's wrong with dressing like people you hate and stealing their boyfriends?

If you had the power, you too, would hire an army's worth of empty spaceships and sit them outside your house

Foreign boys with unpronounceable names have an odd appeal

You get along with everyone, even if you're planning their demise

The little sister should WORSHIP you

Slade:

Even when you're gone, you aren't _really_ gone…

You own a black eye patch and wear it whenever the show is on (I _see_ you, Slade…)

Evil, satanic people attract you. You may be afraid of them, but they'll never know it because not only are you a baddie, you're a mime on the side! (random, excuse me)

You have an affinity for ruining families and stalking the daughter (being Raven)

On one wall, you have a picture of Robin with spears in it. On the opposite wall is the Boy Wonder's piccie surrounded with hearts.

Mad Mod:

People aren't people. They're DUCKIES!

Even when your friends are sick, you drag them to school, because there's no better place to be

Why look for the fountain of youth when you can just steal life from others with a shiny staff that wasn't really _real_ the first time you used it…?

You demand that at school you no longer have to say the pledge of allegiance to the darned American flag

If you were gay, you'd date James, because that blonde is just that swanky

Mumbo:

In your jail cell, you play with finger puppets

You have a voyeuristic side to yourself that just _loves_ the color blue

When _you_ tried to cut a girl in half, she stopped breathing and bled _everywhere_

You have no hope of magically duking it out with a half-demon if you believe your hat holds ultimate power

You're not afraid of your femininity (I think the dude's totally stretching the queer line!)

Seriously, all, this fic will ultimately be coming to a close. The final encounter is drawing near and, as said in the summary, Beast Boy will have a little 'inner self' issue. Promise. I'm so sorry it takes me so long to do this.

Isaac Out!


	14. The Wind Sings Lovely

_The lovely MiSs JoVaNNa has informed me that it would be best not to respond to reviewers here because of some rule. Well, I know this is important to the livelihood of the story, but I just can't not talk. I'll review to reviews, but at the bottom of the chapter entries. _

_AND I MUST APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE._

_It's been a tremendously long time between updates, and although there are many issues in my life right now, I'm not going to be a baby and give you a handful of excuses. The moment I posted my first chapter here, I made a commitment – a commitment with which I plan to follow through. Please forgive me._

Disclaimer: I can't own anything like a show. I'd get confused too quickly.

Ch. 14: The Voices Sing Lovely

Gar wasn't stupid. Nor was he naïve.

There were secrets everywhere. Each one of them was dangerous, imperative, important to his life, but unable to be discerned. What frightened him most as he sat in his hotel the morning of the thirty-first, was that ninety-nine percent of the covert and furtive world seemed to radiate from Vesper. That night he had found her curled up in a corner outside in the snow, he could tell something was awry. She was more closed off, less sardonic, more vulnerable than anything he'd seen in years.

She was hiding something. But what was it?

Bee had persisted yesterday at the restaurant that indeed Vesper was deeply in love with him. Though Gar had at first been unable to believe it, Bee listed several occasions where she had noticed something amiss in the land of the purple-haired sorceress. And she could pinpoint exactly what it was.

"She's lonely," Bee had said. "James didn't do nothin' for her. You could just tell. She thought she was in love, and we all believed her, but she wasn't. And now look at her."

Yes, look at her.

A mess. Afraid. Unsure and unhappy. If he loved her – which he did – he'd take it all away. Too many people had broken her heart. Wasn't it about time that he proved to her that there was someone who could make it right? And he hoped, as he plugged his cell phone charger into an outlet, that it would be him. He loathed James. He had led her in, cheated on her with another woman, and abandoned her. Sought retribution, tried to slither his way back into her life, and failed. Vesper was a smart woman, Gar knew. She wouldn't buy James' cheap tricks.

And yet…the secrets just got deeper. James and Vesper and Vesper and James. It was odd, but the Brit did seem familiar, like he'd met him before. There was something in the behaviorisms and expression that just came across as too memorable. Something was wrong.

Turning his back on the cell phone, Gar walked over to his closet and pulled out the clothes he'd wear for tonight. He was going home tomorrow. Maybe alone. Maybe…

The cell rang, jerking him from his pondering. Gar spun around and trotted up to the desk where the phone sat. Perhaps it was Vesper telling him how excited she was about tonight! But it was an unknown caller. Frowning, he picked up the cell.

"Hello, Garfield Logan." He said briskly.

"Hello, old chap, what's for tea?" James' zesty accent replied.

"James…" Gar immediately growled, his brow furrowing. "Why'd you call me?"

"Well, you see, Gar," James said. "I know I've been a real twit these last few days. I'm quite sure you hate me."

"You've got that right." Gar sneered. "The 'hate' part especially."

"Oh my, you almost sound like _Raven_."

Oh, yes, he remembered now. Gar sighed. James knew Vesper's real identity. To say this was a problem was an understatement. "Okay, Ethridge, you've got my attention."

"Good!" his voice did not sound imposing or malicious at all. It sounded almost friendly. "You see, Gar, I've been a twit, as I've said. Vesper and I are over now. Officially. I've got the ring and we're just a pair of colleagues again. Like you wanted, I'm sure."

Gar ran a hand over his face and slicked back his hair, but the messy strands fell in his face. "Dude, there's gotta be a point to this."

"Yes, you're right. Well, I'd like to apologize to you, if you don't mind."

"Apology accepted." Gar shook his head in irritation and went to click the button, but James' cries cut his attention. "_Jeez, what?_"

"Hang on, you." James said a bit less cheerfully than earlier. "Before you dismiss me, I'd like to finish what I was saying. I wanted to invite you to my favorite bar down in LittleBrook. You're in Samson; it's not that far away."

"An hour and a half," Gar said from memory. Vesper had told him how long the drive was back when he saw her at Christmas.

"Not if you drive like a champ." James said. "Come, come, a few beers and a sturdy apology should make this all better. I've been a jerk to her, Gar. I want to begin to make it right. Let me start making it up to you. I've a long way to go, but I'm willing to work at your pace."

It sounded honest. What did Gar have against him? If only he knew the truth.

"Yeah, you do have a long way to go. But…" If he said okay, who would he be helping more? Vesper? Himself? But if he could just let it go; let the endless cycle cease the migraines and nausea, maybe she'd be better again. He'd do anything for her. "It's nine-thirty now. What time do you want to meet and what's the address?"

He had until eight.

* * *

James' midmorning break began at ten thirty and ended an hour later. The hospital thought it was better that the heads of staff had a break in the later hours of the morning instead smack in the middle of the day, because the ER rush usually began around one, astonishingly.

Vesper hadn't needed to come into work today. It was New Year's Eve and Dr. Davingraw was assigned instead. Loraine huffed and puffed about it all morning, primping her newly colored hair to rid herself of the disaster from a few nights earlier, before sliding into the operating rooms and performing extensive surgery. Odd as it was, the woman was good at her job.

When the midmorning break came, Lorain bolted out the door and hopped into her Mercedes Benz. She was off to some unknown destination to meet a man other than her husband.

"Ciao!" she threw over her shoulder as she ran past.

"See you later, Loraine!" he waved, hopping into his own car and driving off to meet Gar at _Mr. Right Now_. With a name obviously meant for the fairer of the sexes, James himself had found it strange that he'd ventured into such a bar. But the place had the _best_ Vodka Grasshopper he'd ever tried. And it wasn't a bad place to meet chicks.

Sitting himself in the bar in the downtown corner of LittleBrook, he waited for the man from the hotel in Samson.

James didn't like Gar at all. Not the first time he met him at Dick's house, not at the dance, and certainly not now. He didn't do this for a friendly toast. He did this only to relieve his need of revenge. Slade had given him permission. Gar had ruined his torturing of Raven when it came to that night at the party. He was going to bother and destroy her until her emotional walls were in shambles. It was part of the plot. Once he broke her down, she'd be the perfect sacrifice when he'd give her to Slade. He was going to take her to Slade on the night of the second, but Gar had come, messing up everything, and saving Raven from James. Now the Brit was going to meet Slade in private and devise something else. Slade _did_ say he had a surprise for him…

Slade was a good man. Raven had killed Terra. He believed Slade when he told him about her death. Raven _killed_ her! Well, technically, she turned her into a statue, but since there was still no way possible that his dear sister could come back, she was undeniably dead. It hurt him every time he thought about it.

Raven would pay. Raven _and_ Beast Boy.

There was just one problem: James wasn't a hero or a villain. Diabolical plots weren't his cup of tea. If he got this wrong, well…amateurs didn't get everything right on the first try. All he knew was that he was meant to get to Beast Boy or Gar. He had a plan – a good plan – but its outcome was unpredictable.

'Cross your fingers.' He thought as he saw a familiar car pull up next to the bar.

* * *

Gar slammed the door with a grumbled and a sneer.

'_For Raven, for Raven, for Raven_,' he kept repeating to himself as he crossed the sidewalk and opened the door to _Mr. Right Now_. He stood there for a moment, gazing around the bar, until a familiar blonde waved him out. Holding in another grumble, he came up to the counter and sat down.

"Well, I'm surprised you came," James said lightly as he sipped his drink. "I know you hate me, and all, but I'm glad to know you decided on having some 'we' time."

Gar raised an eyebrow. "I actually didn't come here for you. I came here for _her_."

"Ah, yes, the illustrious Vesper," James just rolled his eyes, taking another sip. "The woman of every Oregon man's fantasy, I'm sure." And he passed up a lazy wink to the former Titan. Ignoring Gar's glare at the comment, James put down his glass. "Oh, yes, forgot! You a vodka man?"

Gar shook his head. "I'll be drinking tonight."

"Oh, come on, bloke," the Brit waved his hand, "think of this as…an appetizer!" James grinned, handing Gar the vodka list. "I hear the Russian ones are a crowd favorite."

He took it hesitantly; still not sure he was going to drink any before tonight. But it couldn't have hurt to at least look. Keeping a keen eye on Ethridge, Gar thumbed through the list. He wasn't an alcohol connoisseur, so more than half of the titles on the list were strange and clearly foreign to him.

But when he came across one he was familiar with, he hailed the bartender. "White Gold, please."

The bartender nodded, giving a quick glance to James. The doctor just winked at the young man behind the counter, and he went off to fetch Gar's drink. Gar, however, was very clued in on this wordless exchange.

"What was that?" he asked in a tight tone.

"What was what?" James asked innocently. "Oh, the wink? Well, chap, it seems to be a common misunderstanding 'round these parts that all British men are _whimsy_."

Gar shook his head, not because he found this amusing, but because James was turning out to be more off the scale than he had originally anticipated. This was James? This was the man who swore he'd get Vesper back at any cost, pinned her up to a door and tried to drunkenly win her back? He who stalked her and Gar at the post-Christmas country club celebration? He who vanished nearly around the same time she did; he who did not reappear after Gar found her weak and bleeding?

Said again, Gar was not stupid. And he wasn't going to let this façade slip past him.

"Whimsy?" he asked, trying to appear genuinely amused. If one could act, so could two. "So the wink was –?"

"Hey," James shrugged proudly. "One wink, one free drink. Done deal, I'd say."

And the young bartender came back, setting the glass in front of Gar. The ex-hero nodded the man off, taking a taste of his vodka.

"Good?" James asked with a bit of a glow to his eyes.

Gar put down the drink and nodded like a fool. Hint: not 'being' a fool, but 'like' a fool. "Yeah, this place makes it really good."

James nodded. "Good…"

* * *

Finally, after an hour or so of stiff conversation and a finished White Gold and three empty Vodka Grasshoppers later, Gar stood up. Sliding off his bar stool, he slid his coat over his shoulders. James just sat there waving a leg in a childish, yet conniving manner.

"Nice chatting with you," James said, making no attempt to shake his hand. "I'm hoping you and I get better along now. Maybe we'll be like brothers one day." He laughed. "I could be the best man at your wedding with my ex. Wouldn't that be funny?"

Gar laughed cautiously, articulately, still not liking James though all they'd discussed over the past hour was nonsense about work and women. "A laugh-a-minute, I'm sure." He put his hand on his stomach, though, when a slow pain grew on his chest.

James noted it. "Beverage get to you, Gar?" Gar could sense the second voice in his question, the second intention. And he knew he had messed up somehow.

"Yeah, a bit." He smiled. "It's the only thing I've had all day."

"Ah, hate it when that happens," the doctor said, making again no attempts to assist Gar. "Well, chap, you have a good evening with Vesper. Tell the girl I say hello. And make it an evening worth remembering, you beast."

Turning on his heel, Gar walked out, dazed a bit, his head swimming slightly. It wasn't bad enough he couldn't drive, but James' voice left a heinous ringing in his ears. Getting into his car, he tried to blare up the music as he drove away, but it still screamed in his ears.

_Make it an evening worth remembering, you beast…_

_You beast…_

_Beast…_

How much did James know? Gar wondered as he left LittleBrook. How much did Raven tell him? And what did he know about brining a Titan down?

* * *

The bartender walked over to James, who still sat there with his lollygagger expression. The black-haired young man dropped an empty vial next to the Brit's hand and James chuckled.

"Thank you, David, you did quite well." The blonde man tucked the vial into his doctor's coat, standing up.

"I-I did as you said," David replied, timid. "Now, please, sir. A deal's a deal."

"Quite right," James nodded once. Once ready to leave, keys in palm, his other hand sorted through his pockets until a bottle of pills came up. Handing the bottle to David, he patted the young bartender on the shoulder. "Looks like you and your wife will be keeping your unborn after all. Ciao."

Before David could stutter out a thank you, Ethridge had walked out the door, ready to go back to work.

* * *

The night came quickly – too quickly, Vesper thought. Letting her hair hang loose with a bit of a suave curl at the end, she let it portray her femininity as best it could without going too far. She donned a form-fitting black sweater, off the shoulder and three-quarter sleeve. Her skirt was simple lavender with a stitched pattern across the hem. It twirled around her calves and knees, but didn't cling nor billow. Skirts like this reminded her of her old cloak. To finish it off, she wore a simple pair of black heels.

Feeling delicate but not flighty, she nodded to herself in the mirror, giving herself a minor pep-talk.

"Okay, Raven," she murmured. "Tonight's the night. You're going to do what you promised you would. For the sake of my sanity…" Then she smiled softly. "And for the sake of our future…"

Momentarily gone were the worries and the thoughts of James, Slade and Terra. Gone were the moments where she sat on her couch, staring at the floor, thinking, pondering, wondering how her frustration would die. Gone was the endless meditation, the attempts to reconnect herself with her emotions, but with little effect.

Now was the time for Gar.

It was probably the first time in her life that she had felt so anxious, so excited. She had come perilously close when she was a teen with Malchior. Now she was a woman – a woman in love. And for Trigon's sake, she didn't know how a woman in love behaved. True, she'd seen Kori and Dick, Victor and Bee, but they weren't her. Honestly, most women her age that were remotely like her were still resigned, held back, alone. Not that all women of that nature were, just most of them. Still. They weren't her.

This was a time for the wise to be intelligent, she was sure. She was half-human, after all. And Gar made her feel alive. Maybe that was all that mattered. No needing to giggle at unnecessary moments, no wide-eyed boo-boo faces. Just…being herself. After all, that's what's worked for her thus far, right?

Sal had said go for it. And she was going to live up to the little familiar's challenge. For love.

It was for love that she was doing so many things: love for Gar, for the others, for humanity. Love that told her she should not speak of Slade. Love that told her that she would follow James to the rendezvous point with Slade. Love that was an element of the heart and not the mind.

It was 7:53. Gar would be here in seven minutes. Seven minutes! Vesper ran to the bathroom and flipped the light switch on. But she did not reach for the hairbrush or the powder. She merely gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She was…pretty, yes? She had nice cheeks, a smooth complexion, a permanent bit of jewelry on her forehead, and bright eyes. But was she pretty?

Vesper never thought she was. Not particularly so. Her features seemed to either be too strong or too soft; she could never have a hairstyle that seemed to match all the individual pieces of her face. Perhaps that was just her. Her fingers reached out slowly, touching the cool glass, running against where her cheek was reflected. Would a man want to touch this? Would a man love this? Would she be worthy?

A knock at the front door of the apartment jerked Vesper from her pensive moment. Shutting off the bathroom lights, she went to the door, wondering who it was that was bothering her.

Opening the door, her eyebrows raised. "Gar? Wasn't I supposed to go down to you?"

He chuckled, hands in his khakis, green sweater giving him a warm, earthy appearance. "Would you have thrown down your purse first as a warning signal?"

"Ah-ha," she replied. "If you must know, I've resolved that issue."

"Resolved?" Gar's eyebrows came together. "Who with?"

She gave him a waning crescent smile. "I think you know me well enough to answer that question yourself."

"Heh," he smiled, too. "You're right. Now, c'mon, Rae, I feel like I'm trying to coax you out of your room like in the old days."

Taking his hand, she locked the door behind her. "Except this time I'm a willing participant."

"Ah, that wounds me!" Gar chuckled, putting a hand to his heart as the elevator doors opened. "And here I thought the only reason you wouldn't be with me was because of your powers."

She shook her head, still smiling. "I'm with you now, aren't I?"

"Yup!" he grinned like a child. "And tonight's going to make up for all that lost time, I promise."

Gazing at his determined face and that familiar sparkle in his eyes, she could only grow flushed. "I'll hold you to it, then."

* * *

He hated that he was keeping this secret from her. Looking at her, seeing her content as she was in his presence, did he really have the heart to look her in the eye and tell her? 'Ah, yes, Rae, forgot to tell you: I hung out with your ex-fiancé today and ever since I saw him I've got this nauseating noise in my ears. Care to help me figure out why?'

Oh, yes, that would work wonders for the progressing relationship. He would have not yet won her heart wholly before she stormed off in a flurry of skirt and grief, again with a broken heart. She was fragile, he reminded himself, more fragile than she let on. And he wanted to protect her while giving her the freedom to save herself.

Overwhelming one's love does not lead overwhelming love in return. It leads to slamming doors and forgotten kisses.

The car ride was good-natured. They talked about how her office was full of pricks giving her the cold shoulder and how he wished they had known the truth. A few jokes were spared here and there, but since it was not to such a great extent, she let them slide, even smiling at a couple. They did not speak directly of James. The air grew dry at the sound of that man's name. And his driving had improved greatly. Well, he had always been a good driver, but Vesper was in marginally better spirits, and that put him in a better mood as well. Tonight she would not ask him to stay by her side. And that send a compulsory list of emotions through his overprotective veins: relief, pride in her, and a bit of sadness. He wanted to be there for her even when he wasn't needed. Was this clingy? He was sure it was love.

He came to an intersection and turned left into a little wooded district. In the back of a row of shops was _Cale's_. Several cars were already parked in front of it and music was blaring wildly.

"What makes you think we'll get in?" she asked him.

"Like Dick said, his friend owns the place." Gar parked the car.

"Oh, who's that?"

Gar smiled. "It's Roy."

"Roy?" Vesper's eyes widened. "Speedy? You're joking."

"Nope, it's the old redhead himself." Gar took her hand as they walked to the bar. "He came up here too."

"Wow," Vesper said in actual surprise. "Oregon has become the retirement home for superheroes."

Gar laughed at that. "It is, isn't it? Man, it's amazing who and what you run into these days."

Vesper shook her head, still in disbelief. "If I had known he was here, I would have come to see him."

"I hear he's engaged." Gar added, almost slyly.

They walked towards the bar, side by side, and he heard her chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"'_I hear he's engaged_.'" She mocked him, but in a non-officious manner. But a small smile was plastered sweetly on her lips, causing a soft glow to rise in his cheeks. Giving his own minute laugh, he swung his arm around hers.

After a long moment of thought, where they neared closer to the door, Gar cocked his head. "Hey, Rae?"

It had taken a moment for Vesper to realize he'd been speaking to her. 'Rae' was certainly not a name she'd heard in a _long_ time. "Yes, Gar?"

"Is this a date?" he queried. "I mean, like a date-date."

She frowned and blinked several times before saying: "I…guess so. Hadn't really thought about it." But, of course, she had thought about it – thought about it in great detail, dreamt about it in vivid color, believed in every aspect of this evening. From the moment they had agreed the night of that ball that they would go together to _Cale's_, she believed in that chance.

Smiling, Gar just nodded. "Ok, then, if you guess so, then that's what it'll be." And he opened the door for her. She smiled warmly at him, lighting a match under his heart and watching him writhe under the romantic temptation, then proceeded into the bar.

Yet as he made his way inside, the slight ringing in his ears wailed into a high, screaming pitch, shaking him so badly that he cried out and nearly crumbled. Gar held back for a moment, feeling his bones shake around him as he lost sight of the world around him. For a moment he thought he'd faint, but his mind was now too alert to relinquish the fever.

It sounded horrid, like a blaring fire engine was standing right next to him. He couldn't even hear himself yell. What was this painful sensation?

"_Gar!_"

He tried to look from where the voice had come. The moment he laid his eyes on Vesper, the shrill sounds stopped.

"Gar –," she came to his side frantically, and he noticed he was kneeling. "Gar, are you alright?" She put her hands on his forehead. "You're burning up." As usual, she was fighting the urge to panic. She didn't want her powers to fray.

He just shook his head, trying to find the ability to speak. "I-I don't know what happened. It just…it came and went so fast."

"What did, Gar?" she demanded softly. "I can't help you if you don't tell me."

"Friends?"

The two of them looked up to see Kori and Dick standing in the doorway. "Garfield, is something wrong with your head?"

Dick came over to his side and helped him stand. "C'mon, let's go inside. We'll find some aspirin."

But Gar shook him off. "No, no, this is something else."

Vesper looked up at Gar. "Whatever it was, the core of the pain came from the sides of your head. That's where you were pressing your hands."

"Could it be hemorrhaging, you think?" Dick asked, looking ready to dash for an ambulance.

"I don't know." She said honestly. "The nearest hospit –"

"No," Gar said again, shaking his head, and taking Vesper's arm for strength. "I don't need a hospital. I dunno… It was freaky, but it's over. I think I'm just gonna go back home."

The other three immediately disagreed.

"We're going to need to have you checked out, Garfield," Dick commanded in his ultra-dictator voice. "If there's something wrong, the doctors need to see."

"Yes, Gar, let us take you to the hospital. For your health." Kori added.

Vesper, however, had a completely different retort. "Your hotel's too far away. I'll take you to my apartment."

At her remark, Gar stared deep into her eyes. She was dead serious. A wave of gratefulness and relief washed over him, and, while ignoring the others, he nodded at her. "Thanks, Vesper."

"No problem."

And still Dick was not satisfied. "And what if you die?"

"Then I'll spend the last few hours of my life in the company of the most beautiful woman in the world," Gar grinned. A rosy blush stained Vesper's cheeks and she looked away from him.

In a way, a sick way, she was happy he was sick. Her last few public outings had been chaos and embarrassment. There was no guarantee that this wouldn't be any different. As for Gar, she would rather spend alone time with him than share him with everyone else. Another blush came. When did she become so possessive?

"Come on, let's go," she pulled the arm that was fastened to hers. "Dick, just trust me." She looked at the raven-haired man. "I can take care of him. We don't want to ruin your night."

Kori came up and hugged Vesper. "Then good evening and a Happy New Year to you, Vesper. And Garfield!" She literally pounced him, tearing up quite immediately. "If you die, I shall never forgive myself!"

When all she got for a reply was, "Gahhhhh!" Vesper leapt in and pulled the red-haired goddess back.

"Kori, you're suffocating him!" she said severely, yet she patted her friend's shoulder. "Go inside, you two. Have fun."

Dick just nodded slowly and carefully, taking Kori's hand. "Be safe, you guys." And they went inside.

Gar, who stood in a state of shock, was 'awoken' when Vesper patted his cheek. "I'm…in so much pain…" he whimpered.

She just chuckled. "C'mon, give me the keys. I'll take you home."

And like a puppy, he followed her.

Secrets would unravel like spools of thread.

* * *

I'll be honest, I don't know how this chapter went. I'm sure I've slacked off detrimentally.

Ironsarekool – Really? Thanks so much!

DREAM OF A SHADOW – I like the new account name, girl! It rocks!

Shadow and Nightmare – Whoooo, you girls scare me sometimes, heheh!

Dragonkid1191 – 'Gives cookie' :)

Xmasbaby94 – The idea for the song? Um, my head, I suppose. I listen to a lot of Celtic music. And as for the story, I just sort of started out of thin air. Except there was paper involved… XD, just being weird.

MidnightRaven243 – I'm planning on having them confess…next chapter! Had to remember for a moment…

Velveteen Rabbit – Yup, I'm American all the way! I think you're a good writer; any one shot or story you write is superb! You really should write more (heh, I'm a hypocrite). Thanks for all the wonderful comments! It means a lot to me. And thanks, also, for the links! You ruffle my feathers.

RavenluvsBB – Welcome! I love making people laugh. :)

Xinthos – Lol, Terra was a good kid. I liked her. As for James, eh, he's misunderstood, but really must go.

Jimmy the Gothic Egg – Heh, I live right outside of DC, so that was very little slang for me. But you have a good point! Thanks!

DarkRae4Ever – Hahahaha! Thanks!

Elfie: 'hug' Thanks, darling. Words cannot describe how dear of a sister you are to me. I love you and we'll all be together to the end. I promise. I'll never let you go, girl.

Fernnu – Thank you so much. Every review makes me feel better about writing a chapter and guiltier when I don't write. I believe I sent you a pm letter thing months ago, but I'm not sure if you received it. Computers can be tricky!

Isaac out and flying…


	15. Beating at the Silence

Urg…I dislike the way some people portray Starfire. She's not stupid! Granted, she may not be on the top of my list, but I give her props for being so true to herself.

Disclaimer: Fu…………Ich liebe Eddie Izzard!

* * *

Ch. 15: Beating at the Silence

_The pastor said, "I'm sorry, I'm not certified to be your physician."_

_And the physician said, "I'm sorry, I'm not certified to be your therapist."_

_And the therapist said, "I'm sorry, I'm not certified to be your friend." _

_

* * *

_

She helped him straight into the passenger seat, swiping the keys delicately from his pocket. When he opened his mouth to object, she merely slammed the door in his face with a wry smile. And he didn't question her judgment afterwards.

On the way back to her apartment, she demanded that he lean his chair back and close his eyes – which he only did after she ran a red light in frustration. She was so stubborn that hid drove him mad every time he was with her, and he swore secretly that sometimes she herself may have been the cause of his migraines.

Gar shook his head. Yeesh. He loved her and couldn't stand her. Almost as though they were married. Wait, married?

At the heart-thumping thought, he cracked his lips into a goofy grin. Vesper intuitively noted it.

"What's funny?" she queried lightly.

"_If you've never seen an elephant ski, then you've never been on acid_," he sang sloppily in response. Hah, yes, telling her he just pictured her in a form-fitting, high-class wedding gown would surely get him back to her place in one piece.

"You collapse right outside of Roy's place and that worried me. Now you're quoting Eddie Izzard, which tells me I was worrying more than I should have." She shook her head. "Well, at least you're feeling better." Vesper patted his leg, which sent involuntary shivers up his spine. "I was worried."

He cocked his head. "You were?"

Her face angled away from him for a moment, and he bet he knew the reason why. "Yes, I was. Surprising, huh?"

"No, not surprising," he shifted his position. "I mean, I always knew you cared, but ya never really said it out loud."

Vesper nodded and her body felt stiff. "Yes…yes, you're right. I do care."

Gar smiled for a moment before letting his eyelids droop, catching him in a moment of unawareness. "I know you do…"

After a minute, Vesper looked to see him dozing away contently. And she fell in love with him again that night.

* * *

Rick and Kori entered _Cale's_ with looks of trepidation and concern. He took her hand and kissed it, sensing the worry and unease rippling through her. Slowly, her jade eyes fixed upon his, staring deep beyond his crystal-blue orbs, piercing him with ravishing calmness.

Time sat still but for a brief moment, and her lips parted like the sea. "Dick…I fear for our friend."

"I know, Kori," he pulled her into the circle of his arms right there at the door. "But I think he'll be okay."

It was his surprise only that she shook her head. "No, Dick. I'm worried about Raven."

"Raven?" Vic's voice echoed from their right. Standing between the bar and a large, round table stacked in beer, he, Bee, and Roy, were watching with furrowed brows and quizzical expressions. "What's wrong with her?"

Kori merely shook her head. "It may only be a woman's intuition, but I did not feel something about her was well."

"Like more than usual?" Roy scoffed playfully.

Bee, who was sitting with a hand on her belly and a glass of water in her hand, kicked him. "For all the years you been living with women, Roy, I'd figure you'd know better by now."

"Hey, living with you taught me one thing, Bee, and that's: don't argue; run."

"Which is why you're still alive." Bee grinned and Vic kissed her cheek in pride. As he did, Roy's own sweetheart came over.

But Dick's attention had diminished, and he turned back to Kori, who had chosen not to respond to what any of the others had said.

"So, what do you think we should do?" he asked her.

"Tonight we enjoy ourselves, Dick." She gave him a soft peck on the cheek. "And then we will see if some of your old gadgets still function."

Dick smiled and pulled his darling wife back into the jovial crowd, Dick Clark on the TV screen behind the Tsingtao.

* * *

The many apartments on Vesper's level were packed with parties and bashes. As she and Gar made their way off the elevator and down the hall, she felt like she was back in her dorms in college, trying to avoid the drunks and the lechers, watching all of her acquaintances surrendering themselves to the hallucinogenic spell of loud music and bitter alcohol.

Luckily for her and for Gar, the doors were all closed, barricading the lewd and rowdy from the (outwardly) stable. When Gar's body seemed to shake from the soreness in his temples, she took his hand, folding her fingers into his, and led him down the hall. Her door had been untouched, where all the others were doused with streamers and well-wishing signs of the New Year. She grabbed the keys and quickly unlocked it, allowing Gar in first.

"Ah," he grinned feebly as he entered the living room. "Home sweet home."

At the comment, a fantasy drifted into Vesper's consciousness, and she bit her lip to relieve herself of the impossibility. Tonight, she knew she would say she loved him. And then he would fly back to California, where his real home was.

"Come." She murmured, placing her purse and coat on a stool. She came up behind him and took his own coat off, placing it over hers. "Lie down on the sofa."

"That fast?" he joked, chuckling airily. "It isn't even midnight yet!"

He was right – it was only 10:49. But that wasn't the point.

She rolled her eyes, grabbing Gar's hand and pulling him to the couch. Sitting herself down near the armrest, she patted the seat, and he did as he was asked. She then took him by the shoulders and leaned him back on the couch so his head rested snugly on her lap. He felt nothing until her cool hands touched his bare cheeks.

She glided her slender fingers up his face, to the sides of his face, right above his ears, and his breath caught in his lungs.

"What're you doing, Rae?" he asked. In the close comforts of one another, he was not to hesitate in speaking his pet name for her.

"Use your brain, smart one," she shook her head. He was cute, but sometimes so dense. "I'm massaging around your temporal and frontal lobes. That's where it hurt, right?"

"Well, I got _that _much," he quipped defensively. "But what makes you think – ahhhhh…" A deep, rapturous moan teamed with the backwards rolling of his eyes as therapeutic heat generated at the tips of her fingers. She smoothed back her palms, running them slowly, in a pace equivalent to Reiki.

"Being from a different dimension, I can do more than the average woman," she smirked.

"Wow…" he murmured, still in ecstasy. "You got that right…"

He just melted into her as the strokes became firmer and more perusing. Gar felt as though he was in a mental sauna – or highly medicated and sedated. He wondered if any other sensation on this world could compare…

Slowly, languidly, he reached out and grabbed her left wrist, pulling it to his lips, kissing each finger with delicate fervor. Vesper's insides boiled in joyous surprise, but some doubt in her mind kept throwing negative thoughts at her.

_He doesn't know what he's doing! He's too tired and weak to think straight. He'd do this to anyone else in your position, you know that._

"G-Gar?" Her voice shook under the tightly-sealed waves of happiness beneath her skin. "What are you doing?"

He just laughed, resting her hand on his cheek like it was a teddy bear. "Use your brain, smart one."

And his eyes opened, catching hers. Something familiar stared up at her – something she had only seen when Dick and Kori were together, or even Bee and Vic (though that look was currently becoming a bit rare). It clicked in her mind before she even really knew it had hit her. Sal had been right – begrudgingly, she admitted this.

Gar sat up leisurely, turning his body around to face her completely. Her fingers remained curled in his hair. For a moment, she feared he was going to pull away and she didn't want him too. For the first time since James had stolen her heart and shattered it, she wanted to be near someone, to bask in his love, and to give it in return.

As his face neared towards hers, she knew she was ready to accept what he was about to offer. Gar's face slanted as his own hands came to her cheeks. The sparkle in his emerald eyes just shined in the moonlight, radiating need.

Their lips merged harmoniously, their eyes closed, and their bodies shuddered at the same magnificent sensation. His warm mouth pressed thoroughly against hers, sweet and soft, as his fingers caressed the skin of her face and neck. Vesper gave back, fingers curling in his hair, relishing in everything he gave.

Their bodies inched closer, leaning into each other. Pressed together, he dipped her back on the couch as his hands ran down her sides. Their lips came apart, they breathed, and came together again. Over and over; kiss, breath, kiss. She was snug and warm between him and the sofa cushions. She felt the elements shudder and shake around her: the unfortunate side-effect of her emotional ecstasy.

Yet a twitchy string of magic flowered in her hands, and they shook against his scalp. And her sight went white.

"_Hello, old chap, what's for tea?"_

"…_we'll be like brothers one day."_

"_Yes, you're right. Well, I'd like to apologize to you, if you don't mind."_

"_Apology accepted."_

"…_make it an evening worth remembering, you beast."_

_You beast…_

_It was a mix, a tumultuous, poisoned blend of desperate smiles and joking over alcohol. A chuckle and a snide remark back. As friends would do. As allies and buddies would be…_

She pulled back with ferocity and fear, breaking the kiss. For a moment, Gar breathed in his senses and frowned down at her.

"What's wrong, Rae?" he asked.

Merely she stared, gazing hard into his brilliant eyes. "Y-you…spoke to…James?" Vesper's voice came out in harsh rasps, anger and betrayal laced between breaths. Her thoughts were crumbling to pieces around her.

His form retracted a little, pulling some of his weight off of her. His face was contorted in surprise and nervousness, yet with an underlying sense of courage. "Yeah, I did…Rae, I only did it because –"

"Because why, Gar!" she cried, sliding out from under him. How could he? She told him to stay away from James. What would Gar do if he found about Slade? She was doing this to protect him! To _protect_ him! Wasn't that what one did when she was in love? How could he? "I told you not to talk to him, that it was over!"

He got off the couch quickly and stood before her. "He called me, Rae! It was supposed to be quick and to the point! Then I was gonna leave that sicko behind! You think I _wanted_ to hang with him?"

She shook her head. "Then why did you? Why didn't you just say no?"

"He threatened me with you!" Gar threw his hands up. "I was doing it for the sake of your identity!"

But she just pointed at him. "I don't need to be taken care of, Garfield Logan. I can handle him myself. You have to stay away from him! I told you to; now listen to what I say!"

"And how am I supposed to answer that? 'Yes, Mom'?" he snapped back. Now he was angry – _livid_. "I did it for you! Doesn't that mean anything? And what about Kelly and the baby, huh? Isn't he going to stick with them, now? Huh? So what's the _problem_?"

Glass shattered behind her in the kitchen. But she still grew red in the face, heart pumping like mad. "The problem is _you_! You! Damn it, Gar…" She put her hands against her cheeks and closed her eyes. "If you had only listened to me…"

But his temper had reached its climax. Gar broke like floodgate. "And do what! You don't own me – you don't own anyone! I did it for you, Raven! I'm not a child, you idiot, I'm your boyfriend! You think I'm the problem? From what I see, you're the only one with the issues around here! So sorry I screwed your life up!"

By now Vesper was shivering, tears running down her face. It had gotten out of hand – plaster cracked. She had let them get out of hand. "God, Gar…you're such a damn beast…"

And the lightening struck.

_BEAST…_

He collapsed on the floor, waves of shuddering, fierce pain surging and pulsing through his head. His fingers gripped his scalp with violence. The air, it seemed so…nonexistent. He couldn't breathe…the pain…it was killing him alive…The world died out, the view went black, and he only heard the sound of his screams…

And her…he heard her, too….

_beast…_

Vesper saw him go down no more than a second after she spoke. Following his tumble to the floor came a raw, agonized roar breaking from the bowels of his lungs. She gasped in horror, rushed to his side; saw him digging away at his skull with blood running out his ears.

"_Oh, no, oh, no, Gar_…"

Another bloodcurdling scream erupted and she was grateful for once that there were New Year's parties around them. She grabbed his shoulders, immediately turning him over, screaming his name and trying to calm his head with her magic. To say she was terrified was an understatement. The man she loved was possibly dying…

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to ease his pain, but his body went limp in her arms. She just sat there, draped over him, crying onto his face. She then frantically checked his pulse and breathing – he was alive, thank goodness. Vesper just hovered over him, helplessly kissing his forehead, squeezing his hands, begging him to wake up. Pictures hanging on the wall rattled under the weight of her inner trauma, but nothing exploded.

As she closed her eyes for a long second, she let her lungs quake and shudder and another tear roll down her cheek. Whatever James had done to Gar, he would pay. With his life.

Then, as her breathing calmed, she heard a deep groan. Opening her eyes, Vesper saw Gar stir, but something was wrong, and she noticed it immediately.

His body began to convulse hysterically and she immediately retried to soothe him. But as her arms came down to him, his hand caught her wrist in a near bone-crushing grip, and threw her off of him. She tumbled back.

"Gar, no, please, let me help…" she clamored back to him. But as she neared him, she saw a monster.

His eyes had gone red as burning coals. His teeth had been elongated and a filthy grin was plastered to his face. Gar's mussed hair had grown many inches and the weight and power of his physique had increased so much that his body was straining his clothes. Like a devil, he propped himself up and glared down at her startled form.

"G-Garfield…?"

* * *

The door closed, the room was quiet, the sky was black like blood from a liver. James heard the ticking of the hall clock as he neared his room. It was a timer, a countdown, a beating of drums as he walked to the guillotine of shame. It was his reminder of life and death, his messenger of duty. His signal.

As he laid his coat on the chair in his study room, the sound of the hall clock stopped.

Time froze.

Air froze.

James took five steps back.

"S-Sir?"

The shadows moved, tilted, and coalesced, forming an entity in the middle of the study. Slade came forward, armored boots clunking under his dead-like weight. Out he stepped, his one visible eye from behind the new chrome mask pressing down like metaphysical burden on the young, blonde man before him.

"Why, Ethridge, I've found you've stirred up a bit more trouble again," the villain said in his sickening tone.

"Y-yes, sir, I did." James raised his head almost proudly. "You said I'd get to trick the green chap, and that's what I did."

"Mmm, and a clever trick it was, Apprentice," Slade folded his arms. And by now, James knew that with a compliment came a low blow. "But I don't recall killing Raven a part of the plan."

All the color washed out of James' face. He stared dead ahead at his master, eyebrow nearly twitching out of self-revulsion and embarrassment. The world felt large and dizzy for a moment as his mind tried to encode what had just been said to him. And he knew underneath that mask, whatever Slade looked like, it had to be something smug.

"I don't understand, sir…" he murmured as he held on to what was nearest to him: a bookshelf.

"I know what your intentions were, Ethridge. You hate Beast Boy with every ounce of your being. I applaud you for your devious plot, but did you not think for one second how it might put the half-demon's life on the line?" Slade's voice grew darker, his body more overpowering. James felt himself shrink. "If she dies, it will be your fault Terra never comes back, Ethridge. How else can we power the conduits that will revive your sister's body?"

James' head raised and he glared Slade right in the eye. "Is that what we _really_ need Vesper for? She's merely a tool to bring my sister back?"

Slade caught on quickly. "Just think on it, Apprentice. Who do you love more? Raven, the woman who killed your sister, or Tara herself?"

* * *

Her body was slammed against the floor for the third time as the Beast took her by the arms and tossed her like a rag doll. Her back was throbbing in pain and blood was running freely out of her nose. With a roar, the creature grabbed her bare leg and made to break the limb into pieces, but Vesper kicked it in the gut with her other foot and crawled away.

Her face was covered in tears as she screamed at him to get away, but the Beast kept pinning her, clawing her, ripping her clothes, and throwing her. She loved him, oh how she did, and that was why she didn't raise a bit of her magic against him.

For Gar was as much the victim as she was.

To see him contorted as a cross between himself and the Beast within broke her heart. But the creature didn't seem to reciprocate the feeling, or else she'd not be in such anguish right then. The lights overhead shattered from the black dispelling of her torment, spilling glass all over them.

This time when the Beast came again, it had wounds of its own.

"Gar, no, stop!" she cried out as she dodged another blow. But it roared in response. "Gar, please, please stop! _Stop it!_" At first she had just demanded he cease, but now she was reduced to begging.

Its clawed hand reached out, ensnaring her skirt, and pulled her down to the floor. It grinned ecstatically as it towered above her, raising a fist to perhaps bash in her head. But the tears came harder, mixing with the blood, dripping to the floor. Her fingers dug into the carpet. The moon watched her suffer.

"No, Gar, don't…" she whispered as the creature tightened its fist. "Please…._I love you_…"

And the Beast paused. A grumble bubbled from deep in its chest, but it shook its head and made to strike her as it had originally intended. But it was too late – Vesper already caught the hesitation.

"I love you." She said, this time with conviction and courage. "I love you. I _love_ you."

Chills shook the Beast as it moaned and groaned like a whipped dog above her. It wanted to finish her off, she knew it, but something held it back. Something deep inside was stopping it. Gar…

"Garfield Logan, I love you!" she yelled through her sobs. "Please hear me, I love you!"

A splintered vase's pieces froze in the air, like time and space had stopped. Miraculously, its fragments began to reverse themselves, making the vase whole again. 'My curse,' Vesper thought faintly, 'Sal, the curse is done.' As for Gar, the Beast above her began to convulse again, harder than before. It trembled above her, and she listened to a whimper pour from its mouth. And she wasn't feeling so well herself. But her hand reached back behind her back, feeling the hardness of his leg, and rested her palm on it. Her cheek rested on the pile of blood on the floor.

"I love you…"

It gave a shudder, tipping itself towards her. She heard the unsteady huffs of air above her ear as it leaned down upon her. Then its face dipped into her back, nose nuzzling her ripped shirt and scratched skin. His body lessened underneath her hand. As she felt the world around her fade, his human whisper echoed in her mind.

"_Raven…I love you, too…_"

* * *

Heavy breathing and slight bits of muttering reached her ear as she felt the world around her come back into focus. She felt her body hovering, the pains from earlier nearly gone entirely. It was obvious what had followed. Even unconscious, reasoning was vivid.

"God, Rae," she heard him say more to himself than her. "I should have listened to you. I should have known better. I'm so sorry. So, so sorry."

Vesper's eyes opened a bit. Her voice croaked: "You apologize a lot, you know that?"

"Rae!" he gasped out. She floated back down to find herself lying on her bed. He must have carried her to her room. Gar moved to her, brushing hair out of her face and taking her hand in his, kissing it. "Oh my God, Raven, are you ok?"

"Never better," she rolled her eyes, but smiled at him. "How am I, doctor?"

He smiled back. "I cleaned up the blood on your face. It was smeared all over the place. And I cleaned the room – as much of it as I could, I promise. And you began to heal yourself the moment I laid ya on your bed." He paused, smile slipping. "Rae…"

"Don't," she cut him off. Her fingers curled around his. "Don't say you're sorry. You didn't do anything wrong."

Gar shook his head. "Rae, I almost killed you. I almost _killed_ you! How can I not be sorry? I would have never forgiven myself for losing you."

"You weren't going to lose me, Gar," she looked him straight in the eye. "You'll never lose me."

"The moment I regained consciousness," he sighed, "I saw what I did…I cried so much…and you were there, under me…bleeding and hurting…I'd done that to you…"

"No, you didn't, Gar…" she said back. "It wasn't you, it was the Beast. It wasn't you, you had no control. Remember all those times when we were younger and I let the demon inside of me take over?"

He nodded, easing closer.

"It's like that." She continued. "I would wake up and everything was different. I knew something bad had happened and I had been the cause. And you know who told me it wasn't my fault?"

A light was rekindled in his eyes. "Me."

Vesper nodded, swallowing. "You made me see the truth in myself. That the demon wasn't me. You saved me, Gar."

And the denial in his face returned. "But I almost killed you. I can't even save you, Rae."

"Tonight you did, Gar." She smiled at him. "You saved me more than you'll ever realize."

A breath of a laugh escaped his throat. "I guess we saved each other, then. I only wish I knew why it happened, though."

"Not all things can be explained." Vesper said almost quickly. She knew the truth. He wasn't going to hear it yet. "I'm just happy you're alright." Her fingers grabbed his wrist and she pulled him down to her side. Gar followed without question and curled up against her, his arm tightening over her bare stomach. "What time is it?" she asked lazily.

"Quarter after twelve," he replied, breath hot against her throat.

"Oh…" she frowned. "We missed midnight."

"Still six hours to morning, though." He grinned. She smiled, too. She knew what he was intending. "So, did you mean it?"

She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around him. "Yes, I did. Each and every time I said it."

And Gar kissed her again. "I love you, too, Raven. I love you."

That night faded into morning, but without their realization. Fingers were laced, words were shared; deep, passionate sharing and bonding resulted. Cool sheets and sweaty bodies curled around each other. Soft and fiery kisses came and went, actions were fumbled, and love was taken to yet another ecstasy. He held her close to him, whispering to her all the sweet nothings of the world, and they taught each other how to give love, how to return love, and how to connect in one of the most intimate ways known.

As the sun rose, newfound lovers drifted to a long overdo sleep.

* * *

Yes, they made love. Be proud of me. (Please?) I made it T and I plan on keeping it that way. But, wow, I never wrote anything so publicly intimate! Whether it was good or not doesn't matter to me in the end; I'm just happy I actually tried it. And, yeah, I know a lot about alcohol. When one of your best friends is an alcoholic and you've spent several summers in Germany, you pick these things up.

Ok, guys, next chapter up as soon as I can possibly manage! Vesper/Raven's mission is finally ready to start, but things are more complex than she realizes. Another sad note: Gar goes back to CA.

Review thank you time:

Velveteen Rabbit - Thank you so much for sticking through this with me, really, it means so much. Staying committed is something I am always proud to be. I may not always be able to keep promises or follow through with all agreements, but I always make sure I finish what I start – plus, I make good friends like you in the process! Thank you! James is a butthole, hehe. As for the relationship, I know they're superheroes, but they're people. I like things real. Real is true. And I always gotta have everyone! There's always that other level to each of them that you can't see at the beginning. Thank you so much, again. I swear you make it fun. You take care, too! You frost my cake:)

Shadow and Nightmare – Ok, whatever you say, good sirs. O.o Didn't mean to offend ya both.

Shadows are Prettiful – I know! NYC in winter is such a pain! But it's a really cool place, I agree! Yes, I can fly – I've gone all the way to the moon, too. Lol.

BooYah'sTheWord – I like Speedy, too! I don't know why everyone makes him gay. He seems pretty straight to me! Thanks!

Shay Bo Bay – How did you know? Heehee :) You're spot on. And thank you!

Mura-chan – Welcome to the TT ring, then! I like Spirited Away – a good story! I hope you find more TT stories that you like. There are several. Thanks for checking my story out!

Fernnu – Mister, you are too kind for your own good, I swear! Doesn't life just love throwing curveballs at you? I can't believe how many things have come up in my life that almost seem that they were written in a fictional story. So I can sit in the same boat as you and say I completely understand what you mean. I'm sorry you, too, seem to be in a rut of such. It's a horrible hole to climb out of, I know it. When it comes to life, writing a story for fanfiction seems almost obsolete. And as for the writer's block, putting in happiness when you feel the complete opposite is an unsafe thing to do. Staying true to both your mood and your story is something to be proud of. I know you can pull through it and I'm always here to talk, promise.

I'll be honest, too: this chapter even threw me off! I had typed half of it and put it away for about a month and when I came back, I kept thinking: "I don't remember what they're talking about," or "This sure came on fast." Thank you so much for pointing out the realism in the work. I like to think of myself as an observer – I just love to watch people. And I have this (somewhat unnerving) ability to just read into people immediately. When I write, I always want people to feel intuitive, involved, and in cahoots with my own personal angles. And for you to say that you can see these angles and are involved with me in feeding admiration or disdain is such a wonderful compliment to me. As for James, I do have a spot of liking for him. Though, you're right. He's a snooty bastard and high-class prick. But I stick true to that belief of layers – that there's always something underneath the surface that you just don't quite pick up at first. I hate men who get too cocky for their own good. And in that sense, I tried to convey Gar's personality to host humility and chivalry. Women love a gentleman.

Please take care of yourself, and I will keep you in my thoughts. Take your time updating – as you said so yourself, we are human. Thank you so much – your words are always a joy to hear and read. Truly. Yet I feel like I've written you a novel! I should stop now.  
And to your PS: Gah, computers make my head spin! I need an Excedrin whenever I walk away from one of these things…

I'M GONE NOW! GOODBYE! frolics off


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